Explorers Drop Final Non-Conference Game to Wildcats, 6-1

Villanova, PA - After a tough weekend of competition in the Atlantic 10, the
La Salle Explorer field hockey team made a visit to the Villanova Wildcats Tuesday afternoon for their finald non-conference game of the 2004 season. Villanova Stadium proved unfriendly to the Explorers, as the Wildcats handed the Explorers a 6-1 loss. La Salle now stands at 5-13, while the Wildcats improved to 10-7 and snapped a three-game losing streak.

Sophomore forward Megan Foster (Berlin, N.J./Bishop Eustace), the team's leading scorer, got the `Cats on the board just 1:22 into the contest off a feed from junior Rory Rogers (Rosemont, Pa./Sacred Heart). Less than five minutes later, junior Sarah Francis (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey) scored her first goal of the season off a penalty corner. Sophomore forward Lauren Campanelli (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) and senior back Vanessa Pizzulli (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) assisted Francis on her goal, increasing the Wildcat lead to two.

At 19:05, Francis scored her second goal of the afternoon off another penalty corner, again assisted by Campanelli and Pizzulli. Foster then scored her second goal of the afternoon at 25:46 off a corner feed from Rogers as Villanova jumped to a 4-0 lead going into the half. In the first half, La Salle managed just one shot.

Coming back from the half, freshman Catherine Somits (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East) finished a shot that Rogers had started to add a fifth goal for the Wildcats at 37:12. Villanova scored its last goal at 48:33 when freshman Stephanie Campbell (Gibbsboro, N.J./Eastern Regional) netted a goal off another corner pass from Rogers. Rogers assisted on half the goals of the afternoon.

La Salle's only goal came at 66:03 as Colleen Nesbitt (Gap, PA/Pequea Valley) scored off a dish from Amy Dalrymple (Hanover, PA/Southwestern) after a scramble in front of the goal.

Sarah Kearney (Wenoah, NJ/Camden Catholic) logged 27:22 in the goal for the Explorers and tallied two saves while giving up four goals. Colleen Bolger (Berlin, NJ/Eastern Regional) controlled the goal for 42:38 and earned five saves while allowing two goals.

The La Salle field hockey team will take the field for the final time this season on Saturday, October 30th when they host West Chester at 12:00 p.m. The seven seniors will be honored prior to the game.

GOALS:
La Salle: Colleen Nesbitt
Villanova: Megan Foster (2), Sarah Francis (2), Catherine Somits, Stephanie Campbell

ASSISTS:
La Salle: Amy Dalrymple
Villanova: Rory Rogers (3), Lauren Campanelli (2), Vanessa Pizzulli (2), Gina DeMaestri

PENALTY CORNERS:
La Salle: 2
Villanova: 10

SAVES
La Salle: Colleen Bolger - 5 (42:38), Sarah Kearney - 4 (27:22)
Villanova: Erin Scott 1 (70:00)