Field Hockey Upsets Lasell in GNAC Quarter Finals 5-2 After Quick Start
#7 Dean Field Hockey moves on in the playoffs after defeating #2 Lasell University 5-2 in hopes of defending their GNAC Championship title.
After losing to Lasell 2-1 just a week ago on October 21st, the Bulldogs responded in their third straight playoff appearance. Dean wasted no time putting the pressure on the Lasers at their home field.
Dean's first goal came off a corner less than one minute into the game. The insert from Kelsey Blair connected with the stick of Emily Yazzetti. Yazzetti passed the ball to first year Jaidyn Seitzer who fired a shot in for a goal just over the one-minute mark of the game. This was the first goal of Seitzer's career.
The Bulldogs offense did not take long to put their second goal on the board. Two minutes into the game, Dean was back in their offensive zone, putting pressure on Laser goalie Joy Sayah. Emily Kilpatrick got a touch on the ball and put it into position for Jordan Boelig to tap it in over the line. The Bulldogs were now up 2-0 with less than three minutes taken off the clock.
Prior to the playoffs starting, Boelig set the tone for what the Bulldogs wanted going into the postseason. She said, "We are looking to bring high energy, grit, and determination. We want to keep working hard, playing together, and giving it our all every game."
The quarter ended with the score staying at 2-0, despite a lot of chances for Lasell off of penalty corners.
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Lasell was able to answer coming out of the second quarter with a quick goal off a corner by Brooklyn Northcutt. The goal came when three consecutive shots became too much for goalie Sara Gardner and the Dean defense to stop. After Gardner came out of the cage and made two saves, the third shot from Northcutt found its way through.
Since Dean came out with the fiery start, Lasell was able to control possession and up their offensive intensity, leading to another goal to tie up the game, erasing Dean's early lead.
This goal came on a high arcing ricochet off the leg pad of Gardner who lost it in the air. Northcutt was able to get her stick in the air and deflect it over the shoulder of Gardner to tie up the game.
It did not stay tied for long as Dean found their rhythm in the offense once again. Yazzetti dribbled the ball through three defenders to start the attack for the Bulldogs; she then passed it inside to first year Hailey Lamping. Lamping was denied by Sayah at first but got her stick on the rebound and tapped it in for the go-ahead goal.
Out of the half, the Bulldogs got back to work and extended their lead to a two-goal deficit three minutes in. Dean took advantage of a penalty corner and only needed one touch to sink a shot into the back of the net. Blair, on the insert, found Yazzetti just inside the shooting circle. Yazzetti one-timed the ball into the net to take a 4-2 lead.
After the game, Blair credited her team saying, "Everyone on and off the field had so much grit, energy and passion for this game. We knew how to trust each other and that shows when you look at the score board. We carry an underdog mentality everywhere we go!"
Despite being the defending champions, the Bulldogs come into the postseason as the seven seed, technically making them underdogs.
After 11 more minutes of tough play from both sides, Yazzetti broke the game open, scoring Dean's fifth goal of the game and Yazzetti's team leading 15th goal of the season. No scoring would happen in the fourth quarter, and Dean would ride out the game to a 5-2 victory in the semifinals of conference playoffs.
Gardner finished her impressive day with 10 saves and only the two goals allowed early in the game. This game puts her at 145 saves on the season, two less than last year.
The playoffs continue on Wednesday, November 4th where Dean will travel to #6 Simmons University for a semi-finals matchup. Simmons also pulled off the upset in the quarter finals knocking off #3 University of Saint Joseph's Connecticut, a game that finished in double-overtime.
Dean beat Simmons earlier in the season 1-0 on October 1st at home thanks to an overtime goal from Emma Gragen just two minutes in. Dean will look to repeat that result in hopes of moving on even further in the playoffs.
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