Lasell Women’s Soccer blanks Rivier

NEWTON, Mass. – Senior Carly Zdanek (Newton, N.J.) tallied two goals and one assist Saturday afternoon as Lasell College blanked Rivier University, 5-0, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's soccer game at Taylor Field.

Zdanek has scored two goals in four straight games, moving her into a tie for second place in the conference with eight goals. She helped the team to their fourth straight victory as the Lasers improve to 4-3 overall and 4-0 in the GNAC. Rivier drops to 1-5 overall and 0-5 in league play.

Freshman Serena Speight (Biddeford, Maine) put the home team on the board less than three minutes into the game, with an assist from Zdanek. It stayed a 1-0 game until late in the half, when senior Sabrina Morais (Arlington, Mass.) doubled Lasell's lead to 2-0 with just over five minutes on the clock, with an assist from junior Caitlin Rotonnelli (Meredith, N.H.)

Lasell extended the lead in the second half with back-to-back goals by Zdanek. She knocked in an unassisted marker just a minute into the half and recorded her second of the game in the 66th minute, with an assist from senior Morgan Pinksten (Pelham, N.H.) Senior Erika Badger (Scituate, Mass.) finished off the scoring with an unassisted goal less than a minute later on a left-footed shot from the top of the 18.

Lasell dominated the stat sheet, out-shooting the visitors 35-0. Rivier junior keeper Kasey Smith (Hopkinton, N.H.) had a busy day in goal and finished with 13 saves.

Lasell has two more GNAC home games coming up, Tuesday, September 25 against Albertus Magnus College and Thursday, September 27 vs. Suffolk University. Rivier looks to get back on track next Saturday with a home contest against Suffolk.

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