OLEAN, N.Y. – The La Salle University men's soccer team punched its ticket to the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament with a 2-0 shutout victory at St. Bonaventure Saturday night. Sophomore Nigel Buckley and senior Pat McCarthy tallied the goals, while freshman Carlos Mora registered the shutout in net.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• McCarthy found Buckley on a through ball in the 12th minute for his fifth goal of the season and second in the last two games, giving La Salle an early 1-0 lead.
• The Explorers' defense kept the Bonnies silent in the period, not allowing a single shot on goal in the opening half, as they took a one-goal lead into halftime.
• McCarthy then put the game away in the 78th minute with a penalty kick goal, his fifth tally of the year, as La Salle went up by two goals.
• The La Salle defense continued to hold the Bonnies in check, keeping them to just two shots in the second half and only one on target.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The win clinches a berth in the eight-team A-10 Championship for the Explorers. It will be their first postseason appearance since the 2016 season.
• Mora only had to make one save to secure his third clean sheet of the season, as the Explorers outshot the Bonnies 17-7, including a 10-1 shot on goal advantage.
• McCarthy, Buckley and sophomore Omari Cotterell put the pressure on, combining for 14 shots and seven on target.
• La Salle improved to 8-8-1 overall and 4-4-0 in the A-10 with the win, five more total wins and four more league wins than a season ago.

UP NEXT

• The Explorers locked up the No. 6 seed in the A-10 Championship and will hit the road to take on Dayton next weekend in the quarterfinals.