Golden Knights top seed in East

Golden Knights get a bye in first round of NCAA Tournament

The College of Saint Rose women’s soccer team earned the No. 1 seed in the East and a firstround bye in the Division II NCAA Tournament.

The Golden Knights (15-1-3) will play host to the winner of No. 4 St. Anselm (10-6-1) and No. 5 Jefferson (12-8-1) in the tournament’s second round on Sunday.

"I really believe we have to be our best on Sunday," St. Rose coach Laurie Darling Gutheil said.

But she thinks her team has what it takes to win and make a run at the tournament title.

"I think that they have the ability and the potential. They certainly have the talent, they certainly have the desire and they certainly have the athleticism," Gutheil said. "They continue to improve over the last three weeks. They played really, really well through the NE10 Tournament and they're continuing to play better and better."

St. Rose won the Northeast-10 Conference championship for the ninth time 1-0 on Sunday with a goal from sophomore back Sanna Rein. Fifth-year goalkeeper Marika Laurendeau made five saves.

“The main reason why I came back here is because I truly believed in this team and because I truly, profoundly believe that we can reach the national championship level,” Laurendeau said in October.

St. Rose faced St. Anselm twice this season, winning both times. The Golden Knights also beat Jefferson 4-0 in September.

The Golden Knights will be making their 16th NCAA Tournament appearance in the past 19 years. In 2019, the last full season they contested, they made it all the way to the Final Four before losing to No. 2 Grand Valley State. The Golden Knights won the NCAA Tournament in 2011.