Gilbert Leads Simmons Over Emerson, 3-0

BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons sophomore Greer Gilbert (Falmouth, Mass.) tallied two goals in the second half to lead the Sharks to a 3-0 shutout of the Emerson College Lions Tuesday evening. 

NEWTON, Mass. ? The Lasell College women?s soccer team defeated the visiting Sharks of Simmons College, 1-0 in a rematch of the 2012 Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament championship match.

BOSTON, Mass. -- Simmons sophomore Greer Gilbert (Falmouth, Mass.) tallied two goals in the second half to lead the Sharks to a 3-0 shutout of the Emerson College Lions Tuesday evening.

 

The Sharks tested Lions goalkeeper Allie Altman early, as first year Alexis Eusebio (Dartmouth, Mass.) and junior Keri Acheson (Peabody, Mass.) each registered shots on net in the opening three minutes of play. Simmons senior Desh Perera (Reading, Mass.) drilled a shot off the Lions post at 12:04 but Emerson's defense was able to clear the zone.

 

The Lions recorded their first shot on goal at 14:41 into the first half as Mollie Coyne broke away from the Sharks defense and forced Simmons goalkeeper Briana Hayes (Manorville, N.Y.) to make a diving save. With less than ten minutes to play in the opening stanza, Emerson's Christine White sent a long ball into the Sharks zone for the equalizer but hit the post. Coyne then tested Hayes again with a header but was denied.  With time counting down, Gilbert made a breakaway run but Altman came up with the save to send both teams into halftime scoreless.

 

Emerson came out strong in the second half, as Samantha O'Donovan, White and Giannone all registered shots in the opening minutes. But it was Simmons first year Alexis Eusebio who broke the stalemate as she headed a Keri Acheson cross ball past Altman at 54:17 for the lead. Less than two minutes later, Giannone slipped through the Sharks defense and Hayes came out for her second breakaway save of the game. Hayes fumbled the ball and Giannone collected the rebound and sent a ball across the Sharks open net but was unable to convert.

 

Gilbert doubled the Sharks lead to two when she collected a throw in from Perera and beat Altman low right side at 62:18. Despite a 13-12 advantage in shots for the Lions in the second half, the Sharks defense of Issy Verrilli (Naugatuck, Conn.), Tegan Dougherty (Northfield, N.H.) Tasha Friedman (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Katie McCarthy (Falmouth, Maine) maintained their composure and denied a flurry of shots in the closing minutes.

 

With a minute and half minutes to play, Gilbert sprinted past an Emerson defender, jumped over Altman, who came out for the save, and buried her second goal of the game for the 3-0 victory. The shots were even at 24, and both Hayes and Altman posted seven saves on the evening.

 

The Sharks return to the field on Saturday, Sep. 21 at Suffolk University for a 7:00 PM contest. The Lions host Suffolk on Sep. 19 at 5:00 PM.