April 23, 2010
Box Score
PITTSBURGH, PA- Looking for an opportunity to play for the conference title, La Salle Lacrosse fell to the Massachusetts Minutewomen, 9-7 in the semifinal round of the A-10 Championships.
Down three goals with 9:20 remaining had the Explorers in a position they had been so comfortable with all season. This was the sixth time this season that La Salle had been down by a score of 9-6. In the previous five occurrences this season, the Explorers managed to knot the game up all five times. However, on this day, UMass managed to control the ball for a majority of the contest, which kept the Explorers from making one of their signature comebacks.
La Salle made it interesting with 5:59 remaining when sophomore Taylor Ruland scored, but the Minutewomen held the Explorers scoreless for the remainder of the contest.
On a high note, senior Jill Davis scored the 100th goal of her La Salle career when she gave the Explorers their only lead at 3-2, making her the sixth player to accomplish the milestone at La Salle.
The scoring started after UMass's Jackie Lyons missed two straight shots before Nina Sarcona found the ball to get it to Jesse O'Donnell, who got the Minutewomen out to the 1-0 lead.
It took La Salle less than three minutes to respond. After sophomore goalkeeper Megan Corliss scooped up a ground ball, which helped La Salle eventually clear the ball out of their own zone. Going the other way, senior Stefany McKee was fouled, which gave her a free position attempt. McKee converted the free position to tie the game at one a piece.
From that point, UMass's Merritt Cosgrove and La Salle sophomore Rachel Baker exchanged goals, before Davis was able to put the Explorers on top. The 40th goal of the year turned out to be the one that completed a milestone in her final game in the Explorer Blue and Gold.
Feeling the pressure of the deficit, UMass exploded for five straight goals in an eight minute span. Jackie Lyons, the A-10 Offensive Player of the Year provided three goals in between two of Danielle Pelletier's goals.
Before half time, sophomores Allison Herman and Nora McGurkin hooked up for a goal to bring the Explorers within three heading into the intermission.
After 11 goals were scored in the first half, second half point production was not near as copious.
The first goal of the second stanza was not scored until nine and a half minutes in, when UMass reclaimed its four-point lead.
Four minutes later, junior Ashley Rutz added a point to the Explorers' score column before setting McGurkin up with a goal moments later, which made it a two-goal game while giving La Salle another come-from-behind opportunity.
A UMass goal by Pelletier pushed the Minutewomen-lead back to three, adjusting the score to 9-6 in their favor.
McKee scored her second goal of the day after she received a pass from Rutz inside the final six minutes to give the impression that La Salle just may find a way to put together another late rally.
The Explorers conclude the season 9-7 overall, which matches the 2005 team's record through 16 games. La Salle still retains its best A-10 record in program history, finishing 5-2.
