Cullen Scores Twice to Send Women's Soccer to GNAC Semifinal

Cullen Scores Twice to Send Women's Soccer to GNAC Semifinal
NEWTON, Mass. (10/30/16) -- Senior Megan Cullen (Amesbury, Mass.) drove home two goals to send the Lasell women's soccer team to the GNAC semifinal for the seventh season in a row. The Lasers bested the Blue Jays of Saint Joseph's (Conn.), 2-0, to improve their overall record to 16-2-1.

The Blue Jays, who met Lasell in the GNAC semifinal last season, played in their final game of the 2016 campaign to close out at 6-11-1 overall.

Casey Meissner (Sandwich, Mass.) and Sabrina Morais (Arlington, Mass.) assisted both goals of the contest for Lasell.

The Lasers controlled the entire postseason match, holding a 24-4 and 11-0 advantage in shots and corner kicks, respectively. Lasell's back line yielded the Blue Jays to just hree shots on net in the full 90 minutes played, which were all stopped by junior keeper Sarah LaClair (Belchertown, Mass.).

In the 26th minute, Lasell opened the scoring as Meissner sent a through ball between two USJ defenders to Cullen's feet, who poked the ball past the left side of freshman keeper Megan Ricci (Center Moriches, N.Y.). The Lasers penetrated the net three more times after the marker, but Ricci was there to make the stop in her 15th cap of her season.

Lasell converted on its first scoring opportunity in the second half, as Morais chipped a diagonal ball to space for Cullen, who netted her team-leading 20th goal of the season.

The Lasers remained composed in the back, catching St. Joe's with the offside trap five times, to keep the visiting score at zero.

LaClair improves to 15-2-1 overall with three saves on the day in her seventh shutout of the season, while Ricci closes her rookie campaign at 6-9-1.

The Lasers will host the Monks of Saint Joseph's Maine on Wednesday, November 2 with kickoff slated for 2:00 p.m.