PHILADELPHIA – La Salle women's soccer recently wrapped a successful spring season finishing 3-0-1 against college teams as well as an opponent from the professional rank—Women's Professional SUPERGROUP.
 
During the month of April, the Explorers defeated Rutgers (2-1), Temple (2-0) and Philadelphia University (6-0), while tying Villanova (1-1).
 
Sophomore Kelsey Haycook led the squad in goals (5) and assists (2) during the spring campaign.  Also tallying two assists were junior Jourdan McVicker and sophomore Emily Fenton who utilized a red shirt in the fall.
 
The future is bright for the Explorers as two freshmen—Jess Kagan and Kelsey Celline—each netted two goals to tie as the team's second leading goal scorers. 
 
“Some of our most improved players this spring were Emily Fenton, Katie Getzinger, Hunter Filippo and Chrissy Vollrath,” said head coach Paul Royal.
 
“Offensively, Maryam Huseini, Renee Washington, Courtney Niemiec and Anna Dolhansky all had very special moments in each spring game.”
 
With the impending graduation of senior Academic All-America goalie Gabrielle Pakhtigian, the spring brought Royal a boost of confidence in his defense.
 
“I thought we had outstanding spring performances by Kerri Aiken, Ashley Chilcoat and Gabby Carbone on the defensive side,” Royal said.  “We only allowed two goals against college teams this spring.
 
“Overall, [my assistants] and I would rate this spring as one of our most successful in terms of our style of play, our consistency and competiveness in each training session.”
 
Royal would also like to send a special “thank you” to the La Salle Track & Cross Country staff—Dan Ireland, Tom Peterson and Sarana Hyatt—for their outstanding work developing his team's fitness base and mentality;  also to La Salle's strength & conditioning coaches, Scott Bovitch and Buck Kicinski, for their commitment in getting his team stronger and most explosive than ever.