Lasell Women’s Soccer players receive All-Conference honors

NEWTON, Mass. – Five members of the Lasell College women's soccer team were recognized Monday with selection to the 2018 All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference Team, as voted by the GNAC's head coaches.

Seniors Carly Zdanek (Newton, N.J.), Erika Badger (Scituate, Mass.) and Sabrina Morais (Arlington, Mass.) were named to the All-GNAC First Team, while classmate Morgan Pinksten (Pelham, N.H.) was picked to the All-GNAC Second Team and sophomore Korynne Provenzano (Stratham, N.H.) was an All-GNAC Third Team selection. Zdanek, Badger and Morais are now three-time selections to the All-Conference Team, while Provenzano is a two-time choice and Pinksten was honored for the first time.

A 5-5 forward and three-time First Team All-Conference selection, Zdanek led the team in scoring for the second straight year, finishing with 10 goals, five assists and 25 points. She scored two goals in four straight Laser victories in September, and ended her season tied for ninth in the GNAC in goals and 10th in points. A Third Team All-America in 2017, Zdanek completes her career with 44 goals, 20 assists and 108 points in 82 games, ranking fourth in program history in goals and points and tied for third in assists.

A 5-6 midfielder, Badger is an All-Conference First Team selection for the second time following the same honor in 2016 and receiving Third Team recognition in 2017. She finished second on the team in scoring this season with 21 points on nine goals and three assists. Badger had two goals in a key regular season win over Johnson & Wales University, and tallied a game-tying goal in Lasell's playoff victory over the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) Badger concludes her career with 55 points on 21 goals and 13 assists in 83 games, ranking ninth in program history in goals and tied for 10th in points.

A 5-2 back, Morais receives her second straight First Team All-Conference selection after a Third Team honor in 2016. She tallied four goals and five assists for 13 points this fall, tied for the team lead in assists and fourth in points. She collected three assists in a win over Anna Maria College, and she scored the game-winning goal in Lasell's playoff victory over Saint Joseph (Conn.). A four-year starter who played much of her career at midfield, Morais finishes with 15 goals, 11 assists and 41 points in 78 games. Morais was also Lasell's representative on the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

A 5-2 midfielder, Pinksten earns All-Conference honors for the first time. She finished tied for sixth on the team in scoring with three goals and two assists for eight points. None of her goals were bigger than her overtime game-winner to lead Lasell to a 1-0 victory over Emmanuel College in the GNAC Tournament semifinals. Pinksten wraps up her career with 14 goals and seven assists for 35 points in 79 games.

A 5-6 back, Provenzano earns All-GNAC Third Team honors on defense for the second year in a row. She helped anchor a Laser defense that posted seven shutouts, six in conference play, and allowed just 22 goals in 20 games, including only eight goals in 12 conference contests, tied for the league's best. Provenzano has started 36 of her 37 games on defense in her first two years in a Laser uniform.

Lasell finished the season with a 14-6 overall record under 12th-year head coach Vito La Francesca, and an 11-1 mark in the GNAC to capture the regular season title. The Lasers posted overtime victories over Saint Joseph (Conn.) and Emmanuel College in the GNAC Tournament, but were upset by Saint Joseph's College (Maine) in the championship game, 1-0, breaking their unprecedented streak of eight straight GNAC titles.

2018 All-GNAC Women's Soccer Team

First Team
F – Natalie Dash, Emmanuel (Mass.)
F – Carly Zdanek, Lasell
F – Haley DaGraca, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
M – Kayla Generis, Emmanuel (Mass.)
M – Mikayla Guthrie, Emmanuel (Mass.)
M – Olivia Cairrao, Johnson & Wales (RI)
M – Erika Badger, Lasell
B – Kaylin Deschenes, Emmanuel (Mass.)
B – Kayla Juliana, Johnson & Wales (RI)
B – Sabrina Morais, Lasell
GK – Lexi Gawron, Emmanuel (Mass.)

Second Team
F – Hannah Fields, Colby-Sawyer
F – Jordan Restivo, Johnson & Wales (RI)
F – Kaylee Francis, Regis (Mass.)
M – Amanda Martin, Colby-Sawyer
M – Morgan Pinksten, Lasell
M – Jade Jordan, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
M – Ciara Forde, Simmons
B – Kali Trunca, Johnson & Wales (RI)
B – Jenna Banta, St. Joseph (Conn.)
B – Skye Murray, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
GK – Adia Grogan, Saint Joseph's (Me.)

Third Team
F – Haley Andrews, Albertus Magnus
F – Deja Hursey, Johnson & Wales (RI)
F – Colleen Sheehan, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
M – Abbie Sansoucy, Colby-Sawyer
M – Molly McCormack, Johnson & Wales (RI)
M – Rachel Kelly, Regis (Mass.)
M – McKenzie Murphy, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
B – Morgan Keene, Colby-Sawyer
B – Korynne Provenzano, Lasell
B – Mallory Cottam, Simmons
GK – Oriana Attridge, Regis (Mass.)

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Haley DaGraca, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Kaylin Deschenes, Emmanuel (Mass.)
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR – Lexi Gawron, Emmanuel (Mass.)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Jordan Restivo, Johnson & Wales (R.I.)
COACH OF THE YEAR – Jenelle Harris, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
INSTITUTIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD – Anna Maria College

ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Meghan Lendroth, Albertus Magnus
Courtney Hile, Anna Maria
Amanda Martin, Colby Sawyer
Emma Johnson, Emmanuel
Danielle Barone, JWU
Sabrina Morais, Lasell
Mary-Kait Mace, Norwich
Erin Filetti, Regis
Carley Bostwick, Rivier 
Amanda Ghent, Saint Joseph (CT)
Angela Valenti, Saint Joseph's (ME)
Kristen Mihalich, Simmons
Emerson Wildes, Suffolk

-- 30 --