Posted by: Sue Senner
Led the Explorers with 6 points - 5 goals, 1 assist |
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - On the road at Monmouth on Sunday afternoon, the La Salle Explorers lacrosse team was in search of there third win of the season. At the end of a grueling 60 minutes of play, the Explorers edged out the Hawks with a goal by Nicole Shubert with time expiring to give the Explorers a 17-16 victory. La Salle got the third win it was looking for to now stand at 3-5 overall, while the Hawks drop to 2-6.
The contest was a see-saw affair in the first half as La Salle jumped out to a 3-0 lead. In a span of 2:07, Catie Borneman, Emily Bonczek, and Kat Prokop each scored, with Borneman and Bonczek scoring on free position shots, while Prokop accepted a pass from Kristen Davis. It took Monmouth a little longer to respond, netting four goals in 3:15 to take its first lead at 4-3 with 23:44 remaining. The Explorers jumped back out to a 6-4 lead, and the score would be tied at 6, 7, 8 and 9-9 before the Hawks closed out the half on a 3-1 run to take a 12-10 lead into the intermission.
After the break, the Hawks opened the half with a pair of goals to La Salle's one to increase their lead to 14-11 with a pair of Megan Nutter goals. La Salle trimmed the lead back down to 14 -13 with 13:16 on the clock, with another free position goal, this time by Davis. Monmouth thought they put the game away as Katie Degen and Jeanette Stott sandwiched goals around a score by the Explorers' Emily Bonczek to give the Hawks a 16-14 lead with 4:03 left in the contest, but they thought wrong!
Trailing 16-14 with just over two minutes remaining in the game, Mara Sardella scored on a free position opportunity to close the margin to 16-15. With 29 seconds remaining in the contest, Prokop knotted the game at 16-16 as she also scored on a free position chance. It marked the 11th of the game for the Explorers, who took advantage of active whistles by the officials. Shubert netted the most important goal of the game with the help of Kenville with less than one second showing on the clock to post the game-winner.
Monmouth drew three red cards during the contest.
Bonczek led all scorers with five goals and one assist for La Salle. Davis added four goals and two assists. Kenville came off the bench to score three goals, including the game-winner. Kat Prokop and Catie Borneman each added a pair of goals.
La Salle held the advantage in draw controls 20-14 and ground balls 31-29. In goal for the Explorers, Brittany Friedrich started the contest and logged 10:14 controlling the net, giving up four goals and recording one assist before Chantelle McCormick took over the goalkeeping duties for the remainder of the contest. McCormick allowed 12 goals and posted 13 saves. The Hawks turned to goalkeeper Monica Johnson for the full 60 minutes, finishing with 16 saves.
The Explorers will return home to McCarthy Stadium on Wednesday, March 29th at 4:00 p.m. to host the Lafayette Leopards.
