ST. LOUIS — The second-seeded La Salle women's soccer team did all it could against top-seeded Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10 Championship game, but the Billikens came away with a 3-0 victory in the conference title match on Sunday afternoon at Hermann Stadium.
With the loss, the Explorers ended the season with a 12-6-3 record, including a 10-1-1 mark in their final 12 games of the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Looking to win their fourth A-10 title in program history and first once since 2017, the Explorers had a tough time against the Billikens from the get-go, as the Billikens' Caroline Kelly scored their first goal 13 minutes into the game.
- Then, the Billikens saw A-10 Offensive Player of the Year Emily Gaebe added a goal in the 29th minute to take a 2-0 lead into halftime over La Salle. The Explorers
- After only taking one shot in the first half, the Explorers had more chances to get on the board in the second half, taking 13 shots, five of which were on goal.
- Emily Banashefski and Jillian Drumm took the Explorers' first two shots of the second half, both of which went just wide of the goal.
- Five minutes after Drumm's shot, the Billikens saw Kelly knock in another goal to give Saint Louis a 3-0 lead.
- However, the Explorers kept fighting until the end, starting on the defensive end with goalkeeper Michela Auguadro, who made a huge diving save on a Saint Louis penalty kick a minute after the Billikens had scored.
- From there, the Explorers outshot the Billikens, 11-9, over the final 33 minutes. The best chances the Explorers had to score were in the 61st and 76th minutes. In the 61st minute, Justyce Hollenbach had a shot saved, then Ricshya Walker rebounded the shot and took a shot that also ended up being saved by Saint Louis. In the 76th minute, Gschrey headed a shot toward the bottom right of the goal that ended up being saved.
GAME NOTES
- Gschrey, Auguadro, and Banashefski were selected to the A-10 All-Tournament Team for their performances throughout the tournament. The Explorers now has 27 All-Tournament Team selections in program history, 26 of which have come under head coach Paul Royal.
- In the tournament, Gschrey had two goals, one assist and 14 shots over three games. Gschrey's goals were both game-winners for the Explorers in their victories over Rhode Island and Dayton, respectively.
- Auguadro made the All-Tournament team after leading the tournament in saves with 25, including a career-high 12 saves in the Explorers' 1-0 semifinal win over Dayton. The junior keeper finished with eight saves in the final against Saint Louis.
- Banashefski finished her career at La Salle with the All-Tournament Team honor after scoring one goal in the team's 2-0 win over Rhode Island in the quarterfinals and taking four shots in the tournament, three of which were in the final.
- The Explorers won 10 or more games for the 13th time in program history. Their 12 wins are tied for the fifth-most in a season in school history.
- The Explorers made it to the A-10 final for the fifth time in program history, this time after being picked to finish eighth in the conference.
