PREVIEW: Lasers Gear Up For NCAA Tournament Showdown Versus William Smith

NEWTON, Mass. (11/9/17) -- The Lasell College women's soccer team will travel to Liberty League champion No. 2 William Smith College in the First Round of the Division III Women's Soccer National Tournament.

The Lasers advanced to their eighth straight national tournament appearance after knocking off Johnson & Wales in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship 2-0 on November 4th.

Lasell will rely heavily on a strong performance by GNAC Offensive Player of the Year Carly Zdanek (Newton, N.J.) and GNAC Goalkeeper of the Year Sarah LaClair (Belchertown, Mass.)

Zdanek comes into the match-up with a team-high 38 points, including 17 goals. In the GNAC Championship, Zdanek scored twice to secure the Laser's spot in the NCAA Tournament. LaClair boasts 66 saves and a .815 save percentage in 18 games, including five shutouts.

Lasell last tournament victory came back in 2012 when the Lasers defeated Amherst 3-1 in the First Round before falling to Brandies 3-0 in the Second Round.

The Herons will look towards Liberty League Player of the Year Evie Manning (Lytham, England) to lift William Smith to the Second Round. Manning has a team-high 28 points, including 11 goals in her senior campaign. Megan Barwick (Seattle, Wash.) sits behind Manning with 25 points, with nine goals and seven assists.

Veronica Romines (San Diego, Calif.) looks to continue her, in 18 games Romines has allowed only four goals, boasting a .24 goals-against average. Romines comes into the NCAA Tournament matchup with 25 saves and nine shutouts this season.

The NCAA Tournament showdown is set for 11:00a.m. on Saturday, November 11 at Cozzens Field, and can be viewed live at http://www.hwsathletics.com/watch/?Live=784&type=Live