Box Score
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. – Leigh Gray scored the game-winning goal in the 39^th minute to defeat Butler, 1-0, and propel the Explorers into the Atlantic 10 Championship game on Sunday.  The Explorers will face the winner of #2 Dayton and #4 VCU at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 4, 2012.
 
A physical game by both teams that saw 11 fouls called on each side, the Explorers outshot the Bulldogs 12-6, eventually finding the back of the net late in the first half. 
 
Sophomore Anna Dolhansky fought hard for a 50-50 ball, heading it over a Butler defender to junior Renee Washington.  Washington managed to chip the ball over the Bulldog's back line to Gray who sent the ball just out of the reach of Butler goalkeeper Julie Burton.
 
“Our team defensively kept things intact and didn't let them out of their half for a big portion of that second half,” said head coach Paul Royal, “which lead to a lot of opportunities for us in the final third.”
 
This marks the first time the Explorer's have made the Championship game in program history.
 
“I think it's huge for the La Salle community,” said Royal.  “It's something that our university and athletic department have been shooting for for a few years.”
 
The shutout was the tenth of the season for goalkeeper Gabby Pakhtigian who holds a 16-3-1 record on the season.
 
The win marks the 16^th of the season for La Salle, surpassing their program best single season total of 15 wins from 2011.
 
“I'm real proud of our girls, they put a lot of hard work in during the off season and obviously today was a huge win for us,” said Royal. “But more importantly it was a huge win for our athletic department.”