March 2, 2008

Box Score

MONMOUTH, NJ - The La Salle lacrosse team dropped to 0-3 with a 17-10 loss at Monmouth on Sunday afternoon. Emily Bonczek tied for game-high honors with six goals to lead the Explorers.

The game was all Monmouth right from the start, as the Hawks scored five straight goals to open the contest. Ashley Waldman gave Monmouth the lead just 20 seconds into the game with the first of her three goals on the afternoon.

Bonczek finally got the Explorers on the board at the 20:01 mark on a free position shot, but the Hawks scored three straight to take an 8-1 lead with 14:14 to play in the first half.

La Salle cut the deficit to five, as Bonczek and Kelly Heiss scored back-to-back goals to make it 8-3 at the 9:29 mark. After Monmouth extended its lead to 10-3, the Explorers closed the half with three unanswered goals to head into the half trailing just 10-6.

The second half opened with another goal from Bonczek, bringing the Explorers to within three, at 10-7. The two teams would trade goals for the majority of the half, as La Salle had no answer for Monmouth's Megan Nutter or Megan Brennan, who combined for six of the Hawks' seven goals in the second stanza.

An Allie Venuti goal at the 13:07 mark made the score 14-10, but the Hawks finished the game with three-straight goals while holding the Explorer offense in check.

Mara Schnellenbach started in goal for La Salle and made four saves while absorbing the loss. Ellen Axelsen relieved her in the second half, stopping three shots.

Stefany McKee and Erika Matthews each had goals for the Explorers. Nicole McCurdy recorded three assists, while  Jessica Hanson picked up a game-high four ground balls.

Nutter tallied six goals for Monmouth (2-0).

The Explorers look to rebound when they host city-rival Drexel on Wednesday.