PHILADELPHIA – Sophomore forward Kayden Williams recorded her first career hat trick to lead La Salle women's soccer to a 3-0 victory over Duquesne in the regular-season finale at McCarthy Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Williams scored all three goals for the Explorers, finding the back of the net once in the first half before adding two more in the second half to secure the shutout victory. The sophomore entered the contest as a substitute in the 29th minute and made an immediate impact, scoring three times in just 55 minutes of action.
With the win, La Salle finished the regular season 9-5-4 overall and 6-2-2 in Atlantic 10 play, earning the right to host a quarterfinal matchup in the 2026 Atlantic 10 Tournament. Duquesne concluded its season 5-9-4 overall and 2-5-3 in conference play.
A 2025 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie selection, Williams entered Saturday's contest with two goals on the season. She opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, converting a pass from junior defender Kennedy Erdman to give the Explorers a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.
La Salle continued to generate offensive opportunities after the break, outshooting Duquesne 11-6 in the second half while maintaining its lead. Williams provided the insurance goal in the 78th minute, finishing a feed from sophomore defender Halah Lebsack to extend the advantage to 2-0.
Just over two minutes later, Williams completed the hat trick in the 81st minute, finding the back of the net off an assist from junior midfielder Sienna Mount. The goal capped a three-goal performance that gave the Explorers a commanding 3-0 lead and secured the victory.
Williams finished with six shots, putting five on target, while converting all three of her goals in the contest. Erdman, Lebsack and Mount each recorded an assist, marking a balanced offensive contribution from the Explorers.
La Salle controlled much of the offensive action throughout the afternoon, finishing with a 19-13 advantage in shots and a commanding 13-1 edge in shots on goal. The Explorers also forced Duquesne goalkeeper Ali Hughes into 10 saves, consistently testing the Dukes' defense.
Defensively, La Salle limited Duquesne to just one shot on target. Junior goalkeeper Samantha Widnick played all 90 minutes and recorded one save to earn the shutout and her ninth win of the season.
La Salle will now turn its attention to the 2026 Atlantic 10 Tournament, where the Explorers will host a quarterfinal game at McCarthy Stadium as they look to carry Saturday's momentum into postseason play.
