Oct. 24, 2009

Box Score

BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Women's Soccer Team handed the Monks of Saint Joseph's College their first conference loss of the season in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's soccer played at Clemente Field on Saturday afternoon. The GNAC match featured the Saints upsetting the top-ranked Monks, 4-3, in the Saints' last regular season game of the year. The win improved the Saints' ledger to 12-5-1 overall and 9-2-1 in the league. The loss dropped Saint Joe's to 9-5-2 on the season and 8-1-2 in the GNAC. Both teams sit atop the conference standings and will host GNAC quarterfinal games next week.

The Saints celebrated the careers of the six seniors on the squad (Meghan Long, MacKenzie Peltier, Alexandra Blasser, Hillary Mota, Stephanie Levesque and Kate McKenna) prior to the opening kick. The senior day celebration was quickly stifled by Saint Joe's, as the Monks scored their first goal of the game just 9 seconds into the contest. The Monks goal came via an unexpected shot from rookie forward Jennifer Keaney (Scituate, Mass.) with an assist from Jessica Needham (East Bridgewater, Mass.). Saint Joe's held on to the 1-0 edge for the next 32 minutes.

Emmanuel knotted the contest on a goal by sophomore forward Melanie Hoffman (Topsham, Me.), who notched two first-half markers for the Saints. Hoffman's goal at 32:01 was assisted by junior forward Amber Di Nucci (Assonet, Mass.). A second goal by Hoffman in the 44th minute put Emmanuel up 2-1 heading into halftime. Senior MacKenzie Peltier (Webster, Mass.) handed out the assist on Hoffman's go-ahead goal.

Just six minutes into the second stanza, the Monks forged the game's second tie. Needham found the back of the net with an assist from senior midfielder Anna Willis (Gorham, Me.) at 50:26, forcing a 2-2 tie. Emmanuel took the lead three minutes later, when senior midfielder Kate McKenna (Holyoke, Mass.) tallied her 19th goal of the season to put the Saints up 3-2. McKenna was assisted by Di Nucci, who dished out 2 assists in the win and now has a total of 16 assists in 2009.

The game-winner came in the 67th minute off the foot of Emmanuel's freshman forward Elizabeth Blasser (Pembroke, Mass.) Blasser got the helper from classmate Brittany Ridge (Portland, Me.) and the Saints took a 4-2 advantage.

The Monks got one final score, when junior forward Mikayla Call (Portland, Me.) netted an unassisted goal at 71:27. The score remained 4-3 in favor of the Saints for the final 18 minutes of play and Emmanuel came away with the upset win.

Freshman goalie Jessica D'Ottavio (Pawling, N.Y.) made 2 stops for Emmanuel and picked up the 12th win of her rookie season. Senior keeper Katye Mayo (Fairfield, Me.) tallied 3 saves in the effort for Saint Joe's.

Both the Saints and Monks will host GNAC quarterfinal matches on Sunday, November 1st. The winner of the GNAC Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.