Nov. 5, 2010
Box Score
KINGSTON, RI - La Salle Women's Soccer, the number six seed, dropped a hard-fought 3-1 decision to the top-seeded Charlotte 49ers in the first game of the 2010 Atlantic 10 Conference Championship semifinal round Friday evening at the URI Sports Complex.
Charlotte junior Macky Wingo recorded a hat trick, a first in league championship history, to help her side to the victory. She scored her first of the night on a chip in from 10 yards out at 13:08 on the clock.
The Explorers responded just as the PA was announcing the Wingo tally. Morgan Golden took a cross from Heather Steadman and put the ball in the back of the net just 16 seconds after the whistle.
The tally was the fastest after restart in school history and was Golden's fourth of the season. For Steadman, who also had an assist on Thursday, it was her fifth assist of the season, her 19th career helper, which is good for sixth all-time at the school.
Charlotte (16-4) would not keep the game knotted for long, as Wingo scored again just four minutes off a Whitney Weinraub assist at the 17:31 mark. It was the same pair connecting on the third tally in the 35th minute which gave Charlotte a two-goal advantage heading into the break.
"[La Salle] gave as much as we could handle tonight, but we were sharp, especially in front of the goal" Charlotte Head Coach John Cullen said. "We've been preparing well, we have great focus, good team chemistry and it showed."
La Salle (11-9-2) pressured the entire second half resulting in 5-2 advantage in shots and a 3-1 corner advantage. However, they could not get a shot into the net.
"I just told the girls, I've had the chance to get to two NCAA tournaments with Villanova as an assistant coach and I told them this was my proudest moment as a coach after seeing them leave everything out there," said La Salle Head Coach Paul Royal. "We played a wonderful second half today. Obviously, Wingo was the difference...three chances, three goals. But the passion and fight that our girls showed was remarkable and I was honored to coach them tonight."
Despite the loss, La Salle still managed to win 11 games, the second-most ever in a single season at the school, while the 22 matches played this season are the most ever, and the team's 42 assists are tied with the 1999 squad with the third-most.
