Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – Despite a late-game rally, the Explorers were unable to take the match from Temple, falling 3-2 (25-18, 25-15, 16-25, 14-25, 15-7) on Friday evening in McGonigle Hall.

Junior Samantha Tuklskie poured in a double-double of 24 digs, a match-high, and 13 kills.  Senior Jacquelyn Mitrovich also had double-digit kills with 13 and hit .294.  Senior Kourtney Clark added 38 assists.

The Explorers had the first set tied at 13-all, but the Owls used three straight points on a kill and two La Salle errors to distance themselves.  They would win by a 25-18 margin.

Temple easily took the second set, 25-15, but the Explorers still had some fight left in them.

La Salle took an 11-8 lead, but saw Temple tie the set at 14-all. With junior Breanna Mazalewski serving, the Explorers used a 7-0 run to close out the set victory.  Mazalewski added one ace and Tulskie had three kills in that span.

The Explorers' momentum carried over in the fourth set.  La Salle won the first five points after two Mitrovich kills, a Kelly Scanlon ace and two Owls' attack errors.  The Blue and Gold maintained the lead for the rest of the set, seeing another 5-0 run towards the end of the set.

Unfortunately, the deciding set was all Temple.  The Explorers fell behind 9-1 at the outset and couldn't recover, falling 15-7.

For Temple, Elyse Burkert posted a match-high 20 kills on .218 hitting.  Tiffany Connatser had 43 assists.

La Salle will continue Atlantic 10 play with a match at Charlotte on Sunday.  It is set to begin at 1:00 p.m.