BOSTON, Mass. – Senior forward Kashka Gammon (Nashua, N.H.) and Cíara Forde (Quincy, Mass.) eached netted a goal to lead the six-seed Simmons College women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over the third-seed Emmanuel College (Mass.) this afternoon in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship Tournament Quarterfinals at Clemente Field in Boston, Mass. The Sharks improve to 10-6-2 overall and advance to the GNAC Semifinals for the first time since 2013. Simmons takes on the winner of second-seeded Johnson & Wales University and seventh-seeded Albertus Magnus College, on Tuesday, October 31. The Saints finish the 2017 campaign with an 11-8-1 mark.
Simmons records double-digit victories for the first time since the 2012 season when it finished 11-9-1.
Despite Emmanuel doubling the Sharks' shot total 14-7 and holding a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks, the Simmons defense held the Saints without a goal.
The Sharks opened the scoring 4:26 after the opening whistle when junior Mikayla Elliott (Lowell, Mass.) threaded a through ball between the Emmanuel backline and Gammon sent a low shot into the right side of the goal for a 1-0 lead with her ninth marker of the season. After six minutes of play the Saints settled in and only allowed one more shot for the rest of the opening half. Simmons defense held tough as well, sending the teams into the break maintaining a 1-0 edge.
Emmanuel continued to press in the second half, looking for the equalizer, but was unable to break through. Forde gave the Sharks an insurance goal with just 42 seconds to play with her tenth goal of the season for a 2-0 margin.
Sophomore midfielder Natalie Dash (East Hampton, Conn.) powered Emmanuel's attack with five shots, while three other Saints had two shots.
Senior keeper Casey Halle (Watertown, Mass.) recorded three saves during the match to register her fourth shutout of the year and 10th of her career for the Sharks, while sophomore keeper Alexis Gawron (South Hadley, Mass.) turned away three shots as well.