PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Senior Kayla Spruill started the season strong with a double-double recording 16 points and 17 rebounds on the night as the Explorers fell to Coppin State, 73-70.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Coppin State may have been the first on the board, but the Explorers quickly took control with a 9-0 run through the 5:21 mark in the first quarter. Jaye Haynes, Christina Kline and Spruill all sunk baskets from beyond the arc to give La Salle an early seven-point lead, 9-2. The Eagles put together a 4-0 run through the final two and a half minutes of the first quarter to come within a single point of La Salle's lead, 13-12.
• The Explorers created space through the first three minutes of the second quarter with a 5-0 run comprised of a jumper and free throw by Jordan Lewis and two points from Claire Jacobs. Coppin pulled ahead at the 5:52 mark, but the Explorers pushed the lead with a 14-10 advantage through the rest of the quarter.
• Coppin State saw its biggest run of the game, 8-0, in the final five minutes of the third frame to take a five-point lead over the Explorers. The Eagles tried maintain the lead through the end of the third quarter, but a shot from deep by Amy Jacobs with just 44 seconds remaining brought the Explorers back within two points of the lead, 50-48.
• La Salle paced the beginning minutes of the final quarter with an early three pointer from A. Jacobs followed by a fastbreak layup from Hayes, but the Eagles maintained a 17-15 advantage through the rest of the quarter for the 73-70 victory.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Spruill led the Explorers on 6-of-17 shooting and 3-of-9 from the long range. Her team-high 17 rebounds mark a new career-high for the senior who previously recorded 12 rebounds two times.
• Haynes led La Salle from the stripe going 4-of-4 for the night.
• Masciantonio finished the night with six assists.
• Spruill, Haynes and C. Jacobs all finished the night in double figures.
• Two Eagles finished in double figures, with a game-high 30 points from Jaia Alexander.
• La Salle won the rebounding battle (44-40), but Coppin State outshot the Explorers 40.7% to 31.6%.
• Nine of the 11 Explorers to see game action recorded a point.

 
GAME NOTES:

• Rookies Kenya Côté-Lysius and Julie Jekot made their first collegiate appearances. Côté-Lysius scored her first career points.
• Haynes recorded a new career-high in field goal attempts (15) and three-point field goal attempt (6). The start marked just the second of her career.
• Coppin State won its first game in the series against the Explorers. La Salle still leads the all-time series 3-1.

 
UP NEXT:

• La Salle returns to action at home on Saturday, Nov. 13 for a homecoming-weekend matchup against Rider at 12 p.m.