University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
La Salle
Women's Soccer Falls To La Salle, 2-1
October 21, 2007 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 21, 2007
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AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts women's soccer team dropped a tough 2-1 score to La Salle in a very physical contest on Sunday afternoon. Katie Ruggles scored her first-career goal, but La Salle received two goals from Kristin Hextall for the one-goal victory. The Minutewomen travel to Charlotte on Friday and Saint Louis on Monday before heading home for the final weekend of the regular season.
"It was a tough loss," UMass Head Coach Jim Rudy said. "[La Salle] is a big, strong, physical team. They came in and never gave up. They had fresh players and we're still trying to deal with the same people. "
The Minutewomen had a golden opportunity to take the lead at 21:52, when Britt Canfield was fouled in the box. Jenny Roehrig took the penalty kick, trying to beat La Salle goalkeeper Melissa Sanger to the left post, but she made the stop.
Less than one minute later, Cristina Adams had to leave the game with an injury. She did not return.
UMass got on the board first at 30:00 when Ruggles made an impressive run, and centered the ball. Heatherrae Steadman of La Salle tried deflecting the ball away, but instead hit it into her own goal.
La Salle tied the score at 36:51 when Hextall scored off a scrum in front of the net for her first of the game. Steadman and Kim Lisun assisted the goal.
UMass had a golden opportunity to retake the lead when Canfield hit the post at 40:49. She took a shot from a tough angle that hit the far left post, before rolling across the goal line, but not in.
There was no score in the second half until Hextall struck again at 78:22. Her goal came at the conclusion of a flurry of shots off a free kick.
The Minutewomen were unable to tie the score, with the 2-1 score holding up. La Salle led in shots, 20-15. UMass goalkeeper Lauren Luckey, starting for an injured Kristin Walker, made eight saves on the afternoon while Sanger made five for La Salle. La Salle had more fouls, 18-17, and corner kicks were tied at six.
UMass is back in action on Friday when they travel to Charlotte to play the 49'ers at 7 p.m. The Minutewomen are back home on Nov. 2 to face the Richmond Spiders at 1:30 p.m.
