PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle women's soccer team defeated the Saint Joseph's Hawks 3-1 in Atlantic 10 action on Sunday afternoon at Sweeney Field.
 
La Salle took a 2-0 lead in the opening half, starting with a Marykate Bateman goal in the 23rd minute. The junior took control of the ball in a scrum in the box and fired it over SJU keeper Allison Ebling for her third goal of the year. 

Sophomore Madison Bower made it a two-goal advantage just before the half, chipping a ball over Ebling from the right side of the box in the 43rd minute. 

Saint Joseph's Emily Gingrich used her seventh goal of the season to cut La Salle's lead to 2-1 in the opening minutes of the second half. Gingrich fielded a pass from Shannon Westhead on the right wing and sent it in off the left post in the 47th minute. 

Redshirt freshman Clarissa Kirsch-Downs scored the first goal of her career in the 62nd minute  to make it 3-1 in favor of La Salle (5-6-2, 2-2 A-10). Kirsch-Downs scored in traffic from the top of the box thanks to a helper from Kristin Haugstad. 

La Salle keeper Katie Getzinger tied her season-high in saves with seven against 12 shots faced in the game.  The Explorers fired 17 shots on the afternoon, including eight on target against Ebling. 

The Explorers return home for their next three games beginning on Thursday at 7 PM against the Dayton Flyers.