Lasers Blank Rivier 3-0 in Conference Debut

NEWTON, Mass. (9/10/16) -- The Lasell College field hockey team continued its perfect start to the season with a 3-0 victory over Rivier University on Saturday afternoon at Grellier Field.

The Lasers improved to 4-0 by winning their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener and have now posted shutouts in three consecutive games. Rivier, which was also playing its first GNAC game of the season, drops to 0-2.

Freshman Samantha Taylor (Hanover, Mass.) opened the scoring late in the first half, while sophomore Cailin Flannery (Medford, N.J.) assisted Taylor before rounding out the scoring herself with a goal less than one minute later and another early in the second half.

Neither team found the back of the net in the game's first 33 minutes, but Lasell then scored twice in less than a minute to own a 2-0 lead into halftime.

Taylor scored first at the 33:40 mark, taking a cross from Flannery (Medford, N.J.) for a shot that hit the back of the net behind Rivier sophomore keeper Emily Foster (West Lebanon, N.H.). The goal was Taylor's fifth of the season, already two more than any other Laser forward.

Flannery doubled the Lasers' advantage with her second goal of the season at 34:33. Junior Erica Connors (South Berwick, Maine) was credited with the assist as she fed the ball to Flannery at the post.

Flannery finished the scoring on a shot from the top of the circle just over ten minutes into the second half. The unassisted goal came at 45:54.

The Lasers held a 22-1 shots advantage in the game and attempted nine penalty corners. Rivier's lone shot came in the first half and it had just one corner in each period.

Junior Denise Landry (New Milford, Conn.) played the first 62:22 in net for the Lasers, while freshman Nicole Andriani (West Creek, N.J.) took over for the final 7:38. Neither Lasell keeper was contested in the contest, while Foster stopped 12 shots for the Raiders, including nine in the first half.

Both teams return to non-conference action on Tuesday, September 20. Lasell hosts Nichols at 4:00 p.m., while Rivier remains on the road but returns to New Hampshire to face New England College at 7:00 p.m.