BOSTON, Mass. - After shutting out Lasell 1–0 on Wednesday night, the Rivier women's soccer team advanced to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Final for the first time in program history.
The No. 2 Raiders will travel to No. 1 Emmanuel (Mass.) on Saturday at Roberto Clemente Field, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 p.m. The matchup marks a rematch of last season's semifinal, where the Saints came out on top.
Rivier broke the stalemate early in the first half when senior forward Leah Morrier netted the game's lone goal in the 21st minute to put the Raiders ahead. Despite Lasell's persistent pressure, led by Ayla Hathaway and Brooke Bell, who combined for seven shots, Rivier's defense held firm. Senior goalkeeper Bri Nugent anchored the back line with three crucial saves, securing her fifth shutout of the season and sending Rivier to a 1–0 semifinal victory at Joanne Merrill Field.
Emmanuel completed the regular season unbeaten in GNAC play, posting a 9-0-2 record to earn the No. 1 seed. The Saints opened postseason action with a 3-1 victory over Norwich in the quarterfinals, powered by two goals from senior Liz McCormick and another from junior Paige Letourneau. In the semifinal round, Emmanuel hosted No. 5 Regis (Mass.) and secured a 2-0 win, with goals coming from sophomore Aleena Solano and senior Annebel Balogh de Galantha.
During the regular season, Rivier and Emmanuel met back on Oct. 4 at Roberto Clemente Field, where the Saints surged ahead early and never looked back. Emmanuel's Maya Daryanani struck just 66 seconds into the match, and junior Ciara Horan added two more before halftime to give the Saints a commanding 3–0 lead. Rivier's graduate student Samantha Franks found the back of the net late in the game, but it wasn't enough to close the gap as Emmanuel claimed the 3–1 win.
Players to watch for the Saints include senior Sarah Dullaghan, who leads the team with 51 points on 21 goals, the most in the GNAC, along with a team-high nine assists, a mark she shares with classmate McCormick. Letourneau ranks second on the roster with 38 points, totaling 16 goals and six assists.
Saturday's champion will lift the GNAC trophy and punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
