Women’s Soccer Powers Past Clark, 5–1, on Senior Day

A pair of goals and assists from Jess Frost ’19 (Palos Verdes, CA) powered the Emerson women’s soccer team to a 5–1 NEWMAC victory over Clark University on Saturday, October 29, at Rotch Field. Veronica Alberts ’20 (Half Moon Bay, CA) and Elizabeth Noble ’19 (Long Beach, CA) and Paige Haley ’19 (San Diego, CA) also notched goals for the Lions.

With the win, Emerson concludes the 2016 regular season at 10–9 overall and 5–4 in NEWMAC play. Clark slips down to 8–9–1 overall and 2–8 against NEWMAC teams.

Prior to the start of game, head coach David Suvak and assistant coaches Loy Urbina and Kate Ryder honored the team’s four seniors: Elle Wierbicky (Gloucester, MA); Natalie Benjamin (Shrewsbury, MA); Mindy Labayen (El Segundo, CA); and Melanie Escobar (Torrington, CT) for their hard work and dedication to the program throughout their college careers.

Escobar protected the net for Emerson and earned the win and five saves through 90 minutes. Clark freshman keeper Julianna Christy was tagged with the loss and made two saves through the first half, while sophomore Emma Russell and freshman Alison Carroll split time in net for the Cougars during the second half and made a combined five saves.

Frost paced the Lions with a pair of goals and assists and six shots. Senior Kara Fischer tallied the Cougars’ lone goal, and freshman Hannah Crook had two shots.

From the third and sixth minutes of the first half, Emerson tacked on two goals to take the quick 2–0 advantage over Clark. Labayen crossed a pass from midfield to an open Alberts at the top of the crease on the right side. Alberts collected the ball, aired it, and the ball fell into the top left corner to put Emerson on top, 1–0. Three minutes later, Frost buried the Lions’ second goal into the lower left corner from just inside the right post on a pass from Noble. Noble’s net closed out Emerson’s first-half scoring to give the Lions the 3–0 edge in the 37th minute.

Through the first 45 minutes, Emerson outshot Clark, 11–4.

Six minutes into the second half was when Emerson struck again, this time thanks to Haley. Frost sent up a pass to Haley on the left side of the box, causing Russell to come out of the net. A Clark defender went to collect the ball, but it deflected off her and onto the foot of Haley, who buried it past Russell to up the lead to 4–0.

Clark got onto the board in the 54th minute after the ball deflected off Escobar outside the crease and Fischer beat an Emerson defender to sneak the ball into the empty net to cut the lead to 4–1. However, Emerson sealed the 5–1 win after Frost snuck a header into the right side after Carroll lost control of the ball.

Emerson qualified for the first round of the NEWMAC playoffs, which begin on Tuesday, November 1, while Clark’s season has ended.