BOSTON, Mass. – For the second consecutive game, senior forward Katelyn Fink (Sanford, Maine) scored two goals, lifting the Emmanuel College women's soccer team past Saint Joseph's College (ME), 3-0, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action Wednesday evening at Roberto Clemente Field. The Saints improve to 10-8 on the year and 8-2 in GNAC play, locking in a first-round home game in next week GNAC Quarterfinals. The loss drops the Monks to 8-9 on the year and 5-5 in the GNAC.
Saint Joseph's had the first great goal-scoring opportunity of the match during the 24th minute of action. Following an Emmanuel foul in the middle of the pitch, senior back Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) almost made the Saints pay in a heads up play. While Emmanuel began to line up a wall, Pollini placed the ball and fired off a deep shot from about 35 yards out that caught the hosts off guard. EC sophomore keeper Victoria LaRoche (Hudson, N.H.) just got her hand on the shot, deflecting it off the top crossbar and back into play. Saint Joseph's senior Hannah LeBlanc (Andover, Mass.) had another quality look on the rebound putback but LaRoche made a diving save to her far post to keep the game scoreless.
Later in the half, Fink netted her first goal of the game during the 38th minute of action to put the hosts on top 1-0. Fink dribbled down the left side of the field, beating two Monk defenders before depositing her sixth goal of the year into the upper right corner of the goal to put Emmanuel on top heading into the half.
Fink added her second goal in the 57th minute to give Emmanuel a 2-0 cushion. Junior midfielder Molly Keith (Manchester, N.H.) delivered a pass through traffic to fink Fink before the tri-captain did the hard work to convert her team-leading seventh goal of the campaign.
LaRoche and the Saints defense made the lead hold up, keeping the Monks off the board for the remainder of the contest. The hosts would add another insurance goal with 47 seconds remaining in regulation as junior forward Courtney Freadman (Richmond, Mass.) scored her first of the year on a volley following a corner kick taken by senior forward Molly Carey (Swampscott, Mass.).
The Saints dominated both corner kicks and shots in the match, attempting 12 corners compared to zero attempts by the visitors while outshooting the Monks, 22-7.
LaRoche ended the action with two saves to pick up her 10th win and sixth shutout of the year. Saint Joseph's sophomore keeper Brooke Troup (East Bridgewater, Mass.) made nine saves for the Monks.
Emmanuel returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 24 when they head to West Hartford, Conn. to take on University of Saint Joseph at 1:00 PM. A tie would secure the No. 3 seed in next week's GNAC tournament while a win and Johnson & Wales loss would bump the Saints into the No. 2 slot. Saint Joseph's (ME) ends with Norwich University the same day, hosting the Cadets at 3:00 PM.
COURTESY OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
