CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The top-seeded Lesley University women's soccer team will play host to No. 5 Southern Vermont College on Thursday, November 6th in New England Collegiate Conference Semifinal action at Edward Field. The Moutaineers advanced to the Semifinal Round after pulling a 1-0 upset of No. 4 Becker College on Tuesday afternoon in Leicester, Mass.
In other NECC Championship action, No. 2 Elms College defeated No. 7 Bay Path University 1-0 in and will play host No. 3 Regis College on Thursday at 6:00p. The Pride advanced following a 3-0 win over No. 6 Newbury College in First Round play on Tuesday.
NECC WOMEN'S SOCCER SEMIFINAL ROUND
No. 5 Southern Vermont College (7-10-0, 5-4 NECC) @ No. 1 Lesley University (16-3-0, 9-0-0 NECC)
Thursday, November 6th – 8:00p
Edward Field at Buckingham, Browne, and Nichols
Scouting Southern Vermont
The Mountaineers enter the Semifinal Round winners of two out of their last three matches, including a 1-0 win over Becker College in NECC First Round action on Tuesday. The win marked the first time in program history the Mountaineers have won an NECC postseason match. Sophomore Lauren Nesshoever (Rutland, Vt.) powers the SVC offense as she tallied a team-best 11 goals on the season to go with two assists. Classmate Melodie Orrell (Gloucester, Mass.) added five goals and five assists for 15 points on the season. Freshman keeper Melissa Mascari (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) has been solid as the Mountaineers last line of defense, allowing a 1.56 GAA and posting five shutouts on the season.
Scouting Lesley
Senior Alexis Giusti (Yuba City, Calif.) registered a career-high 36 points as she tallied 13 goals and 10 assists on the season to pace the Lynx attack. Classmate Hannah Landerholm (Edmonds, Wash.) has helped solidify a backline that yielded just one goal in nine conference matches while chipping in with six goals and two assists on the offensive side of the ball. Junior Jackie Berard (Coventry, R.I.) has received the bulk of the load in goal for the Lynx, compiling a trim 0.30 GAA, six shutouts, and a 12-2-0 overall record.
Previous Matchup
Giusti and sophomore Julie Essick (Boerne, Texas) both registered second half tallies as the Lynx topped the Moutainers 2-0 in the NECC opener for both sides on September 27 in Bennington, Vt. Lesley held possession throughout the course of the match and outshot the hosts 41-0. Mascari was credited with 17 stops.
What's At Stake
The two teams are battling for a spot in the NECC Championship match where they will meet up with the winners of the Elms-Regis Semifinal match. A win would send Lesley to their seventh straight trip to the NECC Finals. A win for SVC would mark their first trip to the NECC title match.