PHILADELPHIA - Junior Kristin Hextall, who opened the scoring in the game, connected with freshman Ally Kenney for the game-winning goal to lift the La Salle University Women's Soccer team to a 2-1 victory over the Charlotte 49ers in Atlantic 10 Conference action Friday night at McCarthy Stadium.

 

In the 57th minute, Hextall had the ball on the left side of the box and shot hard and low. Charlotte goalkeeper Juli Black was able to deflect the ball with a diving save; however Kenney was able to score on the deflection, to register her first collegiate goal.

 

La Salle (5-7-0, 2-1-0 A-10) opened the scoring when Hextall headed home a corner kick by freshman Becky McGuigan. It was the second straight game the pair combined for a goal, as Hextall scored the game-winner at UMass Sunday off a corner by McGuigan. Taken on the left side of the goal, McGuigan drove the ball to the far post where Hextall scored at the 26:55 mark of the first half.

 

Charlotte (7-4-2, 2-1-0 A-10) was able to tie the score up with less than three minutes left before intermission as a 20-yard shot by Julie Muckle ricocheted into the net. Her strike went off an Explorer defender, and as La Salle goalie Amy Grant was moving towards her right - the original direction of the shot - the ball rolled past her on the left.

 

Both goalkeepers made three saves in the game, while a team save in the 13th minute kept the 49ers from getting on the board first. A shot by Charlotte's Nikki Dumencich was heading into the net, but Jenna Guagenti made a kick save preserving the scoreless game at the time.

 

La Salle, which improved its record to 4-2 at home, will remain at home when they host Richmond Sunday at 1 PM, before staying home for another weekend series next weekend with St. Bonaventure (10/13; 7 PM) and Fordham (10/15; 1 PM).