April 13, 2008
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA, PA - In its final home game of the season, the La Salle lacrosse team dropped a 20-11 decision to Massachusetts on Sunday afternoon. Emily Bonczek scored a game-high six goals and recorded an assist to lead the Explorers (1-13, 0-4 A-10).
UMass opened the game by scoring three-straight, before Stefany McKee got La Salle on the board at the 25:19 mark off of an assist from Nikki McCurdy. The Minutewomen answered with another trio of goals, making it a 6-1 game just 12 minutes in. Bonczek snapped the run with her first goal of the day, but three more UMass goals gave them a 9-2 lead with just over five minutes to play in the half.
McKee and Bonczek each added a goal near the end of the opening frame, cutting the deficit to five goals. The Minutewomen looked to add a tenth score in the final minutes, but a brilliant defensive play by Brittany White snuffed out the UMass threat.
Bonczek opened the second half scoring with her third goal of the afternoon at the 23:42 mark. A UMass goal just moments later made it a 10-5 game, but two quick scores by Allie Venuti and McCurdy cut the Minutewomen lead to 10-7.
That would be the closest the Explorers would get the rest of the day, as a 5-0 UMass run gave the Minutewomen a 15-7 advantage with 17:17 to play. Bonczek added three more goals down the stretch, while McKee notched her third of the day, but La Salle was unable to chip away at the UMass lead.
McKee finished the game with a hat trick, while McCurdy recorded two assists to go along with her goal. Ellen Axelsen recorded nine saves in goal. Jess Hanson and Dorothy Schalleur tied for game-high honors with three caused turnovers each. Hanson led all players with six ground balls, while Bonczek added five and Schalleur had four.
Kelsey Schreiner led the Minutewomen with four goals, while Melynda Zwick and Kaytlin McCormick each had three. Krissy Anderson stopped five shots to record the win for UMass (4-9, 2-2 A-10).
The game marked the final home contest for Axelsen, Bonczek, Hanson, Kelly Heiss, Erika Matthews and Kaylan Billingsley. The six seniors were honored in a pregame ceremony.
La Salle will head to Pittsburgh this Friday to face off against Duquesne. Game time is 4:00 p.m.
