NEWTON, MA- Sophomore Reegan Brackett (Scarborough, ME) and freshman Sam Peck (Woodbury, CT) paired up for the solo goal of the contest which sealed up the Lasell College women's soccer team victory over Johnson & Wales University on Thursday afternoon at Taylor Field. With the win, Lasell locked up second place overall in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference with an 11-3-3 overall and an 8-2-2 GNAC record. In the defeat, Johnson & Wales finishes 6th in the league with an 8-10-1 overall and a 6-5-1 GNAC slate.
It looked to be a fierce battle from the onset as each team produced great scoring opportunities through the opening minutes. Lasell's goalkeeper Elizabeth Stickley (Mashpee, MA) collected seven saves in the final GNAC regular season bout, also recording her third solo shutout of the season. Wildcat goalie Kara Collins (New Jersey) rejected five on-frame chances by the Lasers.
The deciding goal came in the 33rd minute after a Wildcat foul produced a free kick for the Lasers near midfield. The pass created a scramble in front of Johnson & Wales net which Collins left her station to defend. Peck tapped a short-range pass to Brackett who tucked the ball inside the left goalpost to give Lasell the 1-0 edge, at 32:32.
Despite various additional scoring possibilities on both sides, the Laser advantage carried through the final 57 minutes of the contest.
The teams were even in total shots in the contest, at 15 apiece, but the Lasers did maintain a slight lead in corner kicks (5-3).
The Lasers second place seeding is the best conference finish for the program under head coach Vito La Francesca and gives the Lasers a distinct home field advantage through at least the semi-finals of the GNAC tournament for as long as they continue to win. Lasell has yet to be beaten at home this season, marking a 6-0-3 home-field record.
The quarter finals of the tournament are set to begin on Sunday, October 31st at noon on Taylor Field. Lasell will face Emerson College in the first round of the tournament while Johnson & Wales will travel to St. Joseph College of Connecticut on the same date to face the third seeded Blue Jays.