Women’s soccer beats Manhattan

By Michael Rodden
Collegian Reporter
September 20, 2006

On Sunday, the women’s soccer team won in dramatic fashion over the previously undefeated Manhattan Jaspers. The Explorers (2-5-1) came into the game winless in their last four contests, including three shutouts. Manhattan, on the other hand, had not lost coming into the game, logging a 6-0-0 start, including a win over La Salle’s Atlantic 10 rival Temple.

The Explorers got on the board first when senior Heather Barclay scored on a deflection off the cross played in by freshman Sara Copare in the 18th minute. La Salle held the lead into halftime, but the Jaspers would not go quietly.

In the 58th minute, Manhattan midfielder Jill Beauchamp tied the game with a shot from outside the 18-yard box. The shot had just enough spin to twist away from La Salle goalie Lauren Malizia.

The game required two extra periods to decide a winner. In the 104th minute, sophomore Dana Giordano fired a low shot off a pass from Barclay. It was the second goal of the season for Giordano, and she became the first Explorer to record more than one goal this season.

The women’s team is hoping that this win will be a turning point in their season, as the Explorers have gotten off to a disappointing start. They have won only two of their seven matches, and scored only five goals.

Manhattan had been ranked eleventh in the Northeast Region by Soccerbuzz.com coming into the La Salle game, but it was the Explorers that looked like the stronger team, dominating throughout. With Atlantic 10 play right around the corner (beginning Sept. 29), La Salle is hoping to get back on track.

While the season is still young, it appears that head coach Paul Royal is content to stay young with his lineup. In his fourth season with La Salle, Royal is continually putting out his freshmen to see what they can do. Five freshmen were in the starting lineup for the Explorers on Sunday. Another four came into the game as substitutes. These freshmen are not merely taking up space, though.

Melanie Gamble recorded a goal against Hartford. Sara Copare has two assists on the season, and Ally Kenney also has an assist. All told, freshmen have had a hand in four of the five goals that La Salle has scored this season. These talented players are the only freshmen to record points for the team thus far, but the ones playing defense are just as important.

Against the Manhattan Jaspers, three of the four starting fullbacks were freshmen: Kim Voorhees, Casey Riley and Lauren Barker. With so many freshmen getting significant playing time this season and making an immediate and important impact, the future bodes well for the Explorer women’s soccer team.

La Salle plays twice this weekend, with both games being played at McCarthy Stadium. On Friday, the women take on Fairleigh Dickinson (4-3-0) at 7 p.m., and Sunday they face off against Lehigh (3-4-0) at 1 p.m. The team will then travel to Rhode Island on Friday, Sept. 29 to kick off Atlantic 10 play in this 2006 season.

roddenm1@lasalle.edu