Regis Women’s Soccer Suffers Tough League Loss

WESTON, Mass. – Regis College took the early lead, but a flurry of goals by Lasell University midway through the second half allowed the Lasers to defeat the Pride, 3-2, Wednesday night in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's collegiate soccer match, held at the Cushing Field Complex on the campus of UMass Lowell.

Regis struck first in the fourth minute as Rachel Kelly (Whitman, Mass.) stole the ball from a Lasell player deep in the Laser zone and then made a short pass to Alex Maher (Reading, Mass.). Maher launched a shot over the goalkeeper's head into the net to put the Pride on top, 1-0.

The Pride continued to press the attack for the next 10 minutes, capped by a shot from Kelly that was stopped by Laser goalie Angela Sanzari. Lasell started to control the action through the second part of the first half, but Regis keeper Angie Caldwell (Goffstown, N.H.) did not let any shots sneak past her, featuring consecutive scoring chances from Bobbi O'Guin and Darian Morgan in the final minute of the half.

In the 57^th minute, Lasell earned the equalizer as O'Guin gathered the ball and raced up the field before finding Olivia Austin on the right wing. Austin's shot eluded Caldwell into the lower left corner of the net, tying the match at 1-1.

Lasell (5-9, 5-3 GNAC) took the lead for good in the 70^th minute when Sophia DiPlacido scored off an assist by Serena Speight. Just over two minutes later, Speight would score a goal of her own to increase the Laser lead to 3-1.

The Pride ramped up the offensive pressure, eventually converting on a scoring chance in the 79^th minute as Kelly scored off an assist by Payton Fitzgerald (Danielson, Conn.). Regis continued to look for the game-tying goal, with its final chance coming in the last minute of regulation, but a shot by Kaylee Francis (Millis, Mass.) hit the right post, securing the victory for the Lasers.

Sanzari was credited with just one save as she picked up the win, while Caldwell finished with a career-high eight saves, six of them in the first half. Lasell outshot Regis, 17-11, led by O'Guin with four shots and Speight with three shots, all of them on goal. Kelly paced the Pride with five total shots.

Regis (6-8, 3-5 GNAC) hosts Anna Maria Saturday, Oct. 19, for a scheduled start time of 1:30 p.m. Before the match, the six seniors on the Pride roster will be recognized in a Senior Day presentation. Lasell will also designate Saturday as Senior Day, honoring its seniors before facing Norwich starting at 3 p.m.