Explorers Downed 3-2 at Amherst

Amherst, MA - In their second Atlantic 10 contest in as many days, the La Salle Explorer field hockey team fell to host Massachusetts 3-2 in penalty strokes at Garber Field on Sunday afternoon. The Explorers fall to 5-8 overall and stand at an even 1-1 in conference action, while the Minutewomen improve to 3-11 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

Massachusetts junior Jaime Bawden converted on the fifth penalty stroke to clinch a 3-2 win for the Minutewomen

11:25 into the game, Monaco tipped in a shot from junior Katelyn Woolfrey at the top of the circle to give UMass a 1-0 lead. La Salle came back to tie it with 4:02 left in the first half when Emilie Stewart tipped in a shot after a penalty corner, but the Minutewomen answered right back less than three minutes later to take a 2-1 lead at halftime. Monaco again tipped in a shot from just outside the circle. This time it was Bawden who took the free position hit.

La Salle came out firing in the second half trying to tie the game. They had back-to-back penalty corners at the 30:28 mark but did not get any shots on goal. Then the Explorers had three more consecutive penalty corners seven minutes later but again did not record a shot on goal. A few minutes later, they had another corner and this time were able to convert. Allison Geiger took the first shot off the corner and it was blocked. Becky Garry got the rebound and her shot was saved by UMass senior goalkeeper Christine Tocco . The rebound went right to Colleen Nesbitt, however, and she was able to stuff it home to tie the game with 18:40 left in regulation. At the end of regulation, La Sale had back-to-back corners but were unable to convert and the game went into overtime. Tocco made a save on Geiger on the second one.

UMass dominated both overtime periods outshooting La Salle, 11-3, in the two extra frames but could not score. They picked up all three shots of the first overtime together at the 4:36 mark off a penalty corner. Bawden had the only shot on goal which was saved by Colleen Bolger. In the second overtime, the Minutewomen took eight shots, six of which were on goal but could not score. At 7:51, freshman Kara Murphy had a shot saved and that set up back-to-back penalty corners. Senior Caitlin Beresin had a shot saved and then Woolfrey had a shot blocked. At 5:11, Beresin had another shot saved and then on the rebound a La Salle defender knocked her game-winning bid away just before it entered the cage. La Salle had a chance with 4:14 left, but Tocco made two saves in a row following a corner.

Monaco went first for the Minutewomen in the first set of strokes and converted. After Amy Dalrymple tied it for La Salle against the new UMass goalkeeper Becky Letourneau , both teams missed their second attempt. Freshman Erin O'Brien then converted for the Minutewomen to go up 2-1. Both teams then exchanged misses and Bawden had a chance to end it by nailing the fifth UMass stroke. She did just that and the Minutewomen won their first conference game.

Tocco made 10 saves in the cage for the Minutewomen in 100 minutes. Bolger had eight saves on the other side. Both teams had 22 shots while La Salle took five more penalty corners (12-7).

The Explorers will face the Delaware Blue Hens next, this Friday, October 15th in an evening game at Delaware, start time is 7:00 p.m.

GOALS:
La Salle: Emilie Stewart, Colleen Nesbitt
Massachusetts: Adrianne Monaco (2), Team

ASSISTS:
La Salle: None
Massachusetts: Katelyn Woolfrey, Jaime Bawden

PENALTY CORNERS:
La Salle: 12
Massachusetts: 7

SAVES
La Salle: Colleen Bolger - 9 (100:00)
Massachusetts: Christine Tocco - 10 (100:00)