Sports shorts- Women's lacrosse and softball

By Frank Visco & Jon Juliano
Collegian Staff
March 22, 2006

Women’s Lacrosse

The women’s lacrosse team started off its week on a down note, losing its third straight game of the season. The 12-4 defeat came at the hands of Drexel on Wednesday, March 15.

The Explorers’ offensive star was senior MF Kristen Davis, who recorded two points on the strength of two assists. Junior goalkeeper Brittany Friedrich had a rough game, as she gave up 12 goals. On the plus side, she played the entire 60 minutes and converted nine saves.

On their home field on Saturday, March 18, the women faired a lot better, besting Longwood 13-9.

The game had several offensive standouts. Sophomore Emily Bonczek tallied five points on four goals and one assist, while Davis added four of her own on three goals and one assist. Also performing well were junior Catie Borneman (three goals) and senior Kat Prokop (a goal and an assist). On the other side of the ball, sophomore goalkeeper Chantelle McCormick saved six while playing the entire game.

So far, this season has not been kind to the Explorers. Coming into this past weekend, the women owned a 1-4 record and had been outscored 62-43, which averages out to about 3.8 points less per game than their opponents.

As a result, this past week’s two game split is a definite sign of improvement. Statistically, 2-5 is a lot better than 1-4, and although the Explorers are still on the small end of a wide scoring margin (83-60), the team successfully knocked down its average per game differential by over half a point.

Furthermore, the team still is not in dire straights, as it has two more games to iron out the kinks before A-10 play kicks off. In those two games, the women will take on Monmouth on their home turf at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 26 and go up against Lafayette at McCarthy Stadium at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29.

viscof1@lasalle.edu

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Women's Softball

With a weekend of double headers in Rehobeth, Del., the Explorer softball team had its mind set on a different kind of March tournament this past weekend. No bracket sheets to fill out for this one, as the Bash at the Beach Tournament started Friday, March 17 and ended on Sunday, March 19. After it was all said and done, the Explorer team came away a game under .500 with a 7-8 record.

The tournament started unsteadily as the team suffered early losses on Friday to both Providence and Saint Peter’s. The women fell behind 3-1 in the fifth inning against Providence, and attempted a last stand, only to fall short 5-3.

The second game of the day had Saint Peter’s take an early 8-0 lead before La Salle scored five runs in the fifth. Sophomore Michelle Sullivan hit two homeruns (one a two-run shot) in the effort, while freshman Lea Corcoran also swung her big bat and hit a homerun. However, it was not enough as the Explorers lost 13-6.

On Saturday, the team continued its losing streak as Lafayette held the Explorers to only one run, winning 5-1. However, in the second game of the day, freshman Danielle Signorelli helped the team turn its St. Patrick’s Day weekend luck around with a two run homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning to aid a 4-3 win over Fairleigh Dickinson.

On the final day at the beach, the women hammered home eight runs against Saint Francis in five innings while junior Laura DeZolt took care of everything else by pitching a three-hit shutout in the win. In fact, the women played were so dominant that the game ended after five due to the eight-run mercy rule.

This coming week the women will participate in three away games. Earlier today they played at George Washington at 2 p.m., and later in the week they will play at Dayton (Friday, March 24) and Seton Hall (Tuesday, March 28).

julianoj3@lasalle.edu