AMHERST, MA - Senior Kristin Hextall scored the game-winning goal with just under 12 minutes left in regulation to lift the La Salle University Women's Soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Massachusetts on Sunday afternoon in Atlantic 10 action.
The game was tied at 1-1 when Jenna Guagenti took a free kick from just inside midfield. The ball sailed into the box, and two Explorers, Alex Conley and Sara Copare had attempts to unbreak the tie, but UMass goalie Lauren Luckey came up with saves both times.
The third shot was the charm, as Hextall - alone on the left side of the net - knocked in the second rebound for her 12th career game-winner, fourth in 2007. The goal gives Hextall 11 for the season, tied for the fourth most ever in a season at La Salle, and 26 points, tied for sixth in a season.
Massachusetts (8-4-1, 3-4-0 A-10) had several opportunities in the game to score, but only once did a ball get past La Salle goalie Melissa Sanger. She came up with a big stop at the 21:52 mark on Jenny Roehrig's penalty kick to keep the score tied at 0-0.
However, the Minutewomen broke through for the first goal eight minutes later on an own goal with Katie Ruggles getting credit for her first career goal.
It would take La Salle just under seven minutes to tie the game as Hextall tallied her first of the game off assists from Heatherrae Steadman and Kim Lisun. For Steadman, it is her team-leading sixth of the year, while Lisun registers her 13th career assist, good for seventh on the all-time list.
UMass had an opportunity for a halftime lead on Britt Canfield's shot; however it hit the post at the 40:49 mark.
Sanger made five saves in net for the Explorers, and picked up her fourth win of the season, while Luckey made eight saves in a losing effort.
Of note, La Salle's Guagenti played in her 75th career game, the most ever by a player in the Blue and Gold - passing the 74 games played by both Alexis Petrucci (2002-05) and Patricia Gauss (1999-02). Her 72 starts ranks her tied for fourth all-time and she has a chance to set that category's record as well if she makes three more starts.
La Salle (9-7-0, 3-4-0 A-10) will return home for its final regular season games at McCarthy Stadium in 2007. They host Dayton on Friday at 5 PM, and Xavier on Sunday - Senior Day - with a 12 PM start.
