Men's Soccer Powers Past Albertus Magnus, 2-0 in GNAC Match

NEWTON, Mass. (9/20/14) – The Lasell College men's soccer team earned their second straight Great Northeast athletic Conference victory, 2-0 over visiting Albertus Magnus College. Lasell improved to 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the league, while the Falcons suffered their first loss of the season and fell to 4-1-2 on the year and 0-1-1 in conference fixtures.

Taylor Witherbee (East Bridgewater, Mass.) scored his first career goal and Caique Reginaldo (Quincy, Mass.) scored for the second time this year for Lasell while also assisting on Witherbee's goal. Lasell's Miguel Colmenares (Caracas, Venezuela) played another strong match in net, making six saves to post his second straight clean sheet.

Lindsley Barrett (Shelton, Conn.) spearheaded the attack for Albertus Magnus with seven shots including a pair that forced Colmenares to make difficult saves. Griffin Volta (Orange, Conn.) made three saves in goal for the Falcons while taking the loss.

Albertus opened the first half getting the better of play, forcing Colmenares to make three saves in the opening 15 minutes, including a long range strike from Alex Perez (Hamden, Conn.) which the Lasers keeper leapt to punch over the bar. Taylor Witherbee opened the scoring in the 23^rd minute for Lasell when he ran onto a through ball from Reginaldo at the top right corner of the 18-yard box and blasted a low shot past a diving Volta that found the side netting just inside the left post. Lasell junior Conor Fitzgerald (Marshfield, Mass.) nearly tallied in the 37^th minute when his strike from distance rang the crossbar, and the Lasers controlled the bulk of possession late in the half to take their 1-0 lead into intermission.

The Falcons started fast in the second half as well, dominating possession and keeping the hosts on their heels. Colmenares handled a trio of chances in the 57^th minute, parrying away a point blank effort from Alex Zapata (Hamden, Conn.) then diving to rob Lindsley Barrett after the rebound fell to the senior midfielder. Colmenares then saved Barrett's second effort to maintain the hosts 1-0 margin. A Lasell foul just outside the box after the flurry gave Albertus another chance, but Barrett's free kick sailed over the bar.

Reginaldo made it a 2-0 advantage for Lasell in the 68^th minute, as his mazy run took him past a pair of Falcons backs and he then finished past Volta for the goal. Albertus kept pressure on the Lasers defense but their four shots the rest of the way failed to find the net or test Colmenares as Lasell finished out the 2-0 victory.

Albertus Magnus hosts Becker College on Monday September 22^nd at 4:00 p.m. and then heads to Mitchell College for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff on Wednesday September 24^th before resuming GNAC play at home against St. Joseph's College of Maine on Saturday September 27^th. Lasell will play host to non-conference foe Clark University on Tuesday September 24^th before welcoming conference opponent Norwich to town on Saturday September 27^th at 1:00 p.m.