Lasell Field Hockey downs Colby-Sawyer in GNAC semifinal

NEWTON, Mass. – Junior Mindy Esposito (Sunderland, Mass.) and senior Julia Franzik (Wallingford, Conn.) scored a goal and an assist each Wednesday afternoon as second-seeded Lasell College defeated third-seeded Colby-Sawyer College, 5-1, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) field hockey tournament semifinal at Grellier Field.

Lasell improves to 14-6 and advances to the GNAC championship game for the second straight year. The Lasers will play top-seeded Saint Joseph's College of Maine (18-1) Saturday in Standish, Maine, in a rematch of last year's title game, won by Saint Joe's, 3-0. The Monks blanked Simmons College, 6-0, in Wednesday's other semifinal. Colby-Sawyer ends its record-breaking season at 14-5. 

The home team got on the board in the 11th minute off a play from a penalty corner. Esposito inserted the ball and eventually got it back from junior Brooke Landry (New Milford, Conn.). Esposito then scored into the open left side of the cage.

Less than two minutes later, the Lasers benefited from another penalty corner. Senior Cailin Flannery (Medford, N.H.), the conference's leading goal scorer, notched her 21st of the season with an unassisted tally at 12:16. Lasell sophomore Megan Horrigan (Wakefield, Mass.) gave the Lasers a 3-0 advantage at 24:19 when she finished a pass from Franzik.

Senior Jordan Teixeira (Exeter, N.H.) got one back for the Chargers with her team leading 12th goal of the season midway through the second half.

Lasell tacked on a pair of late goal off the sticks of junior Sam Taylor (Hanover, Mass.) and Franzik to secure the 5-1 win.

Lasell keeper Sofia Rodriguez (Peabody, Mass.) made nine saves in the win, while Colby-Sawyer goalie Abby Ladd (Colchester, Vt.) finished with 11 saves. The Lasers finished with a 23-12 advantage in shots and a 13-5 margin in penalty corners.

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