Feb. 24, 2007
Final Stats
PHILADELPHIA, PA - The La Salle Explorers lacrosse team marked a milestone in the program's history on Saturday when they defeated the Colgate Red Raiders at McCarthy Stadium. The win was the first ever for the Explorers in their season opener. La Salle now stands at 1-0, while the Red Raiders drop to 0-2 after losing their first two games by identical scores of 11-10.
Seniors Tiffany Grossi and Catie Borneman along with junior Emily Bonczek led the way for the Explorers each netting a hat trick in the game. Grossi also added an assist for a four-point game total.
Bonczek kicked the scoring off just 2:47 into the contest on an unassisted goal. The Red Raiders answered back just over two minutes later to tie the score, but Bonczek knocked in her second goal of the day with 24:46 to give the Explorers the lead again. It was Borneman who capitalized on a free position shot about 90 seconds later followed by Grossi's first goal with 21:57 to play in the half, giving the Explorers a 4-1 advantage.
Colgate answered the Explorers scoring surge, with Lindsay Pittard assisting Molly Ortolano and Brienne Tierney with back-to-back goals followed by a free position goal by Jess Van der Meulen to knot the score at 4-4 with 12:32 to go in the half.
A Colgate foul at the 19:36 mark gave Bonczek a chance to put the Explorers up again and that's just what she did. Grossi added another goal with 6:03 to play to give La Salle a 6-4 lead. Pittard brought the Red Raiders to within in one, but Kelly Heiss extended the Explorers' lead to two again with 3:11 to play. Colgate's Ashley Didio closed out the first half scoring on another free position shot to leave the Explorers with a 7-6 lead at the break.
In the second half, Colgate opened up the scoring, rattling off four straight goals to take a 10-7 lead in the first 5:22 of the half. But the Explorers were looking to avenge an 18-6 loss a year ago in Hamilton, New York and they proved their point, as Borneman scored her second with 13:19 to play.
Freshman Stefany McKee scored her first collegiate goal with the help of Grossi to bring the Explorers to within one at 10-9. Grossi tied the score with 4:51 to play in regulation on a pass from freshman Alie Venuti. With time running down and the game tied at 10-10, the veteran play of Borneman proved helpful as she drilled an unassisted shot with 1:45 left in regulation to lift La Salle over the Red Raiders.
On defense, Venuti and fellow freshman Marikate Letts posted matching stats of three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Grossi also scooped up three ground balls in the contest.
Goalkeeper Chantelle McCormick competed 60 minutes in the cage and recorded 10 saves while facing 24 shots. At the other end of the field, Colgate's Sara Drexler tallied eight saves in 60 minutes and faced 21 shots.
The Explorers will return to action on Tuesday, February 27th when the travel to nearby Drexel for a 4:00 p.m. start.
