It's a big day for Rivier soccer with the men and women's teams in GNAC title games. (Photo/graphic courtesy of Rivier University)

BOSTON, Mass. – After shutting out Lasell 1-0 on Wednesday night, the Rivier women’s soccer team advanced to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Final for the first time in program history.

The No. 2 Raiders will travel to No. 1 Emmanuel (Mass.) today at Roberto Clemente Field, with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m. The matchup marks a rematch of last season’s semifinal, where the Saints came out on top.

Rivier broke the stalemate early in the first half when senior forward Leah Morrier netted the game’s lone goal in the 21st minute to put the Raiders ahead. Despite Lasell’s persistent pressure, led by Ayla Hathaway and Brooke Bell, who combined for seven shots, Rivier’s defense held firm. Senior goalkeeper Bri Nugent anchored the back line with three crucial saves, securing her fifth shutout of the season and sending Rivier to a 1-0 semifinal victory at Joanne Merrill Field.

Emmanuel completed the regular season unbeaten in GNAC play, posting a 9-0-2 record to earn the No. 1 seed. The Saints opened postseason action with a 3-1 victory over Norwich in the quarterfinals, powered by two goals from senior Liz McCormick and another from junior Paige Letourneau. In the semifinal round, Emmanuel hosted No. 5 Regis (Mass.) and secured a 2-0 win, with goals coming from sophomore Aleena Solano and senior Annebel Balogh de Galantha.

During the regular season, Rivier and Emmanuel met back on Oct. 4 at Roberto Clemente Field, where the Saints surged ahead early and never looked back. Emmanuel’s Maya Daryanani struck just 66 seconds into the match, and junior Ciara Horan added two more before halftime to give the Saints a commanding 3-0 lead. Rivier’s graduate student Samantha Franks found the back of the net late in the game, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap as Emmanuel claimed the 3-1 win.

Players to watch for the Saints include senior Sarah Dullaghan, who leads the team with 51 points on 21 goals, the most in the GNAC, along with a team-high nine assists, a mark she shares with classmate McCormick. Letourneau ranks second on the roster with 38 points, totaling 16 goals and six assists.

Saturday’s champion will lift the GNAC trophy and punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

MEN’S SOCCER

RAIDERS HEAD TO WEST HARTFORD

The Rivier men’s soccer team is headed to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship for the first time since 1997, riding the momentum of a 1-0 win over Norwich.

The Raiders will travel to take on the top-seeded University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) today at 1 p.m. at USJ Soccer Field.

Sophomore Alejandro Quezada converted from the penalty spot in the 70th minute after first-year David Pereira drew the foul. The match was evenly contested throughout, with Norwich holding a slight 13-10 edge in shots, while senior Logan Clough and Cadets’ keeper Kirk Rodgers each came up with key saves to keep it close. In the end, Quezada’s strike stood as the difference, lifting the Raiders to a 1-0 victory.

USJ’s path to the championship began with a 1-0 quarterfinal win over No. 8 Albertus Magnus, powered by a lone goal from senior Nicholas Simpson. In the semifinal round, the Blue Jays blanked No. 4 Saint Joseph’s (Maine) 3-0, receiving goals from three different scorers, Emmanuel Ofori, Mario Milardo, and Trevor Sousa.

These teams last met on October 4 at USJ Soccer Field, where they played to a 2-2 draw. The scoring opened with a Rivier own goal, but sophomore Luiggi Ferreira pulled the Raiders even in the 61st minute. The Blue Jays regained the lead 10 minutes later with a strike from Damir Cirkicorvic, but the advantage was short-lived, as Quezada buried the late equalizer to secure the tie for Rivier.

Key player to watch for the Blue Jays is sophomore Milardo leads USJ with 26 points, recording a team-high 10 goals along with six assists. Senior Ofori sits close behind with 23 points, tallying nine goals and five assists on the season. In net, sophomore Will Slayton anchors the defense with a .811 save percentage, backed by 60 saves and a 1.00 goals-against average.

The winner of Saturday’s matchup will claim the GNAC title and secure the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.