AMHERST, MA - Continuing a long road journey for the 2005 season, the La Salle University field hockey team took on the Massachusetts Minutewomen on Friday afternoon at Garber Field.  The Explorers fell to the Minutewomen 4-1 and now stand at 3-12 overall and 1-2 in the Atlantic 10, while Massachusetts improved to 5-9 and
2-1.

It was a tough first half for the Explorers, as the Minutewomen opened the scoring 4:52 into the game on a goal by Katelyn Orlando off a pass from Erin Parker.  Just over five minutes later, at the 10:06 mark, Gina Sanders took a pass from Patricia Borneo to put the Minutewomen's second goal on the board.

The teams played on for more than 15 minutes before UMass earned a third goal by Kwylan Jaggasser who scored on a penalty corner with the help of Katelyn Woolfrey and Borneo.  Jaggasser's goal ended the first half scoring and left the Minutewomen with a 3-0 lead going into the break.

In the first half, the Explorers managed just two shots to Massachusetts' 10 shots. 

La Salle senior Emily Simone got the Explorers on the scoreboard at the 51:08 mark on an unassisted goal.

After holding the Minutewomen scoreless for most of the half, Massachusetts' Erin O'Brien took advantage of a penalty shot and closed out the scoring giving the Minutewomen a 4-1 win.

The Explorers were outshot for the game 21-5 and fell on the shortside of a 7-2 margin in penalty corners.

Goalkeeper Ellen Axelsen added 13 saves to her season total and the Minutewomen's Heather Ryan tallied four saves.

The Explorers will be back on the field on Sunday when they take on the Rhode Island Rams in Kingston at 12:00 p.m.