Box Score
PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle field hockey team gave nationally-ranked Massachussetts all it could handle in the first half, out-shooting the visitors, but ultimately fell 4-1 on Friday afternoon at DeVincent Field. Junior Olivia Shoemaker scored La Salle's only goal in the loss.
 
Sophomore Lisa Shaffer stopped nine shots for the Explorers.
 
The Blue and Gold came out strong in the first half with five early shots but could not push across a goal. UMass, a week removed from beating #1 Syracuse, punched one in with five minutes to go before halftime on a Kate Heineman goal to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Despite the deficit, La Salle held a 7-4 advantage in shots at the break.
 
After intermission, UMass showed why it has five wins over top 25 teams this season. The Minutewomen scored two goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half and never looked back.
 
Nicole Cordero scored the first of her two goals in the 40^th minute and Noralie Weustheis added another in the 50^th to make it 3-0.
 
La Salle answered when Shoemaker scored her team-best seventh goal of the season in the 54^th  minute but it proved to be the only offense that the hosts could muster.
 
Cordero scored again with four minutes remaining to finish the scoring.
 
UMass (9-8, 3-1 A-10) goalkeeper Sam Carlino stopped eight shots for the win.
 
La Salle (7-9, 2-2 A-10) remains at home on Sunday in a crucial Atlantic 10 contest against VCU (10-5, 1-3 A-10). The winner of that contest will be in fourth place in the conference with two games to play.
 
The top four teams qualify for the Atlantic 10 Tournament on November 2-3 at UMass.