University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
La Salle
LaSalle Gets The Better Of UMass, Winning 3-1
October 01, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 1, 2006
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass women's soccer team suffered its first conference loss of the season after dropping Sunday's match to LaSalle by the score of 3-1. Playing in a steady rain all afternoon, the teams were tied at one apiece heading into the second half when the Explorers took control and scored two unanswered goals. The UMass homestand continues this coming week when the Minutewomen host Dayton and Xavier on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
"This was the most physical game we've had here in a long time," said Head Coach Jim Rudy. "We lost our focus in the second half and allowed for open target players. We had some breaks in the game, but not a whole lot of the players brought their `A' games."
LaSalle's Dana Giordano opened the scoring at 34:45 with a 15-yard shot that went to the left of UMass' Kristin Walker for the 1-0 score. Vanessa Patry knotted it back up just over a minute later with her fourth goal of the season at 35:52. The Explorers gained control of the loose ball but cleared it to Patry who buried it in the top right corner.
Kristen Hextall (63:43) and Giordano (80:51) tallied the goals in the second half for LaSalle. The gamewinner came off of a bad UMass foul, with Becky McGuigan maximizing her airball to Hextall, landing five yards in front of Walker and was finished off.
Three yellow cards were issued to the Explorers, including one to coach Paul Royal. Overall, shots were 18-11 LaSalle, while Amy Grant made two saves and Walker finished with seven.
"You hate to lose when it has been so physical," said Rudy. "We attacked fairly well, hit a post and had their keeper make a miraculous save. We kept playing, but did not handle that physicality well. We lost our focus and our organization."
