STATEN ISLAND – The La Salle Explorers field hockey team showed up strong in the season opener leaving New York with a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Shea Burns and Zhao Rodrigo.
 
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Michael Warari era got underway in a fast pace to start the 2024 season for La Salle field hockey.
• The newly shaped roster was guided from the beginning of the contest by a familiar face in Zhao Rodrigo who fired off the game's first shot in the fourth minute of the contest.
• The first corner of the match was awarded to the Seahawks, but they were unable to convert on the attempt 9:35 into the first.
• As the game continued, the offenses on both sides settled in. Freshman Roos Pasveer for the Explorers fired off her first shot in her collegiate career just to the right of the goalie, as it was warded off out of play.
• Senior Quinn Medico got in on the action as she got her own shot off that missed wide, about halfway through the second quarter.
• The first corner attempt of the season for La Salle was put in by Rodrigo who found Malena Balduzzi, but had her shot blocked by a member of the Seahawks.
• The La Salle defense continued to be stout throughout the half, but faced some real pressure towards the and of the second. Wagner was able to get off four shots, three of which were on goal, and all were saved by Abby Boggs.
• The third quarter was a continuation of pressure from the La Salle offense. The Explorers had five total corner attempts within the first six minutes of the frame.
• The fifth corner, proved to be the converter. Shea Burns secured the first goal of the 2024 season and gave La Salle the lead 1-0, after she punched the ball into the cage.
• The Seahawks proved strong and would not go away. Throughout the duration of the third Wagner continued to pressure Boggs and the La Salle defense getting off four shots to end the frame, but with no goals to show for it.
• The beginning of the fourth, however, Wagner found the equalizer. A corner attempt was successful by Floortje Leunisse and tied the game up at one goal apiece.
• With four minutes remaining in the game an Explorer corner broke the game's tie. Rodrigo inserted the ball, which was subsequently sent in on goal by Matilda Diedrichsen, rebounded back to Rodrigo, and then shot into the back of the cage for the 2-1 lead.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• This marks the first win in the Michael Warari era as head coach of the Explorers.
• Shea Burns recorded her first collegiate goal in today's 2-1 win.
• Zhao Rodrigo tallied her second game-winning goal of her career today over Wagner.
• The Explorers led the way with 12 shots total, with seven of those shots being on goal.
• In Abby Boggs' first career start, she faced 11 shots and fended off six of them.
• La Salle also led in corner attempts with eight.

 
UP NEXT:

• La Salle will return to Philadelphia for the first home contest of the season when they play host to the Queens University Royals on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 11:00 a.m.