VILLANOVA, PA. – Sophomore Claire Jacobs led the La Salle women's basketball team (2-2) with 16 points and seven rebounds as the Explorers fell to Villanova (5-0), 78-52, on Wednesday evening inside the Finneran Pavilion.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• La Salle scored the first bucket of the game after winning the tipoff. Villanova answered with the next six points to jump ahead by a pair. C. Jacobs and senior Kate Hill each scored a deuce to tie things at six prior to the Wildcats taking a 7-0 spurt over a 2:07 span to claim a 13-6 lead at the media break with 2:31 left. The Explorers established a 6-2 run over the remainder of the first to cut the Wildcats lead to two points – 15-13.
• Villanova outpaced the Blue & Gold 10-5 through the first 5:06 of the second stanza for a 25-18 lead at the media stoppage. La Salle cut into the deficit with a one-point advantage, 6-5, through the remainder of the period. Villanova held a 30-24 led at the half.
• The Wildcats opened the third quarter on a 14-4 spurt to force a La Salle timeout at 6:04 remaining. The home team grew its lead with a 15-10 advantage over the final 6:04.
• Villanova solidified the game with a 19-14 margin in the fourth period.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• C. Jacobs was 5-of-14 from the floor, 1-of-6 from long range, and 5-of-6 from the line.
• Junior Molly Masciantonio accounted for 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting.
• Collectively, La Salle shot 35.4% from the floor, 16.7% from three-point range, and 76.2% from the stripe.

GAME NOTES:

• Rookies Kayla Richardson and Jete Nulle made their career debuts.
• Freshmen Michelle Kozicki and Nulle scored their first career points.
• All 15 Explorers played in the game for the first time this season.

UP NEXT:
La Salle is set to take on Howard at home on Friday at 3:30 p.m.