Bridget Lynch's Record Setting Day Propels Women's Soccer to 8-0 Win over Norwich

NEWTON, Mass. (10/14/13) – The Lasell College women's soccer team defeated Norwich University 8-0 in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference match-up on Monday afternoon at Lasell's Taylor Field. Lasell College junior Bridget Lynch continued her record-breaking career, tying the school record for goals in a game with five, setting a new single game record for points with 12 and becoming the program's all-time leading goal scorer and points leader as she pushed her career total to 54 goals and 122 points. Lasell remained undefeated in GNAC play improving to 7-0-1 in conference matches and 10-2-1 overall, while Norwich slipped to 1-7 in GNAC contests and 1-12 on the year.

Bridget Lynch (Dover, N.H) scored five times while adding a pair of assists on her record-breaking day. She now has 21 goals and 6 assists in 13 games this season, and continues to climb her way up the Lasell record books. She is already the programs all-time leading goal scorer, and points leader, while ranking 4^th in career assists with 14. She trails only Merina Anderson for the top mark in goals, assists and points in a single season.

"Bridget has been a fantastic player for us over the course of her career" said head coach Vito LaFrancesca, adding "she has what every great scorer possesses, the instincts to put herself in goal scoring situations. The things that set Bridget apart are her tenacity and work rate. She creates chances for herself through sheer effort instead of sitting back and waiting for her teammates to do all the work."

Molly Lauver (Cambridge, N.Y.) chipped in with two goals and an assist and Arianna DiOrio (Revere, Mass.) added a goal and an assist in the victory. Caitlin Greco (Higganum, Conn.) earned the victory in goal for the Lasers, stopping one shot in her first collegiate start.

Allison Hull (South Royalton, Vt.) made six saves in the opening half for the Cadets, and Molly Miller (Raymond, Maine) made seven stops in 45 minutes of action for Norwich.

Bridget Lynch opened the scoring in the seventh minute on a cross from Lauver. Lauver took a ball just across midfield, and drove the end-line pushing the ball beyond a Norwich defender. Her cross found Lynch in space at the top of the six-yard box and the junior's shot glanced off the diving Hull before finding its way into the net for a 1-0 Lasers lead. Bridget Lynch was again the beneficiary of some nice service, this time from freshmen Erin Smith (Gorham, Maine) in the 13^th minute when she knocked home the ball just inside the left post for a 2-0 lead.

Lynch then repaid the favor to Lauver, finding the sophomore with a service that Lauver tapped in to put Lasell in front 3-0. Lasell made it 4-0 when Arianna DiOrio scored her first goal of the season when she redirected a ball into the net following a Lasell corner. Bridget Lynch notched her third goal of the game in the 25^th minute when she beat a pair of Norwich defenders and headed into space against Hull, scoring on the breakaway to make if 5-0 heading into the break.

Lynch wasted no time scoring her record-breaking goal just 13 seconds into the second half when her twin sister Kayla won a fifty-fifty ball in the midfield and led Bridget with a perfectly placed thru ball which she finished for her 53^rd career goal. The goal marked the fifth time in their Lasell career that Kayla has assisted on a goal by her twin. Bridget set up Lauver in the 50^th minute for a 7-0 lead, and knocked home a DiOrio cross in the 55^th minute for her fifth goal in the match before departing.

Norwich will host Rivier University on Friday October 18^th at 6:00 p.m.in their next contest before tangling with Mount Ida College at home on Wednesday October 23^rd at 7:15 p.m.

Lasell will face-off with Suffolk on Thursday October 17^th at 4:00 p.m. before returning home for a non-conference match against Swarthmore on Saturday October 19^th during Family, Friends and Alumni Weekend at 12:00 p.m. The Lasers will be conducting their "Pink Day" match on the 19^th where they will be raising money for cancer awareness through the "V Foundation". The match on the 19^th will also see the Class of 2014 recognized for their contributions to the Lasell women's soccer program.