Jeff Spiker scored the game-winner for La Salle and added an assist.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The La Salle men's soccer team defeated Soccer Seven rival Philadelphia, 2-1, on the strength of a Jeff Spiker (Yardley, PA/Pennsbury) goal in the 70^th minute. The Explorers improve to 3-5-2, while the Rams drop to 3-7-1.

 

With the game tied 1-1, senior Josh France (Wilmington, DE/Salesianum) lofted a corner kick through the goal box and Spiker headed the ball past a diving Philadelphia goalkeeper Phil Szczerba to give the Explorers the eventual win.

 

La Salle controlled the tempo for most of the first half, keeping the ball in the Rams' end and outshooting Philadelphia 6-2. The pressure paid off in the 34th minute when Spiker threw the ball in toward the box. Freshman Jim Davis (Pittsgrove, NJ/A.P. Schalick) got a head on it and steered the ball toward the goal, where it bounced off a Philadelphia player's head and into the top right corner of the net.

 

The Rams answered back in the second half on an odd play that saw Robert Richardson send a ball in on La Salle keeper Andrew Bernhard (Lancaster, PA/Hempfield) who came out to challenge the approaching Alfred Chambers. As Bernhard challenged, teammate Matt Kelly (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College HS) attempted to head the ball to Bernhard, but the ball got over his head and into the goal.

 

Bernhard made two saves for La Salle; Szczerba stopped nine shots for the Rams.

 

The Explorers will return to action on Friday, Oct. 7 at 7:00 p.m. when they visit Atlantic 10 opponent Xavier.