BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Saturday's cross-town matchup with La Salle brought a close matchup that never saw a lead of more than two goals with Villanova falling 7-6 in the season finale at the LIU Pool.
Villanova (14-19, 4-9 MAAC) held a one-goal lead by halftime but faced a 3-0 La Salle (15-15, 5-7 MAAC) spanning the third and fourth quarters that it could not overcome. The group entered the game needing a win to earn a spot in the MAAC Championship field.
Stella Byles led the team with two goals.
After a pair of Explorer goals to open the contest, goalie
Gracin Kerry sent a pass sailing to the hands of
Isabel Foley with over three minutes to play. The freshman tossed up a lob that went past netminder Emma Gurasich and into the net, cutting La Salle's lead in half, for a 2-1 score that stood through the rest of the half.
Villanova needed just 15 seconds into the second quarter to level the contest. Byles passed a look to
Emily Morrissey that she rocketed into the net, tying the game 2-2. Just over 30 seconds later,
Amelia Baca netted a chance to put the 'Cats ahead, 3-2.
Sarah Shaw thwarted back-to-back possessions for La Salle with a pair of blocks to keep the Blue and White lead. Byles kept the momentum going for Villanova a short time later, picking up an open ball and scoring, pushing the lead to 4-2.
Emily McKenzie was awarded a five-meter in the final minute of the half, but her chance was saved. La Salle got a goal back from late in the frame, making it a 4-3 game at the break.
La Salle had a chance to level the game early in the second half, but that chance hit off the crossbar and back to Kerry, sending Villanova back down the pool. Madelyn Koerper got a shot past Kerry at the 5:23 mark, leveling the contest, 4-4. McKenzie sent in a shot to take the lead back with three minutes remaining in the frame, but was whistled for a foul, giving the ball back to La Salle. Kerry was whistled with a penalty foul with 48 seconds on the clock, giving La Salle a chance to go ahead on a five-meter. Francesca Co' lined up for the shot, getting it past Kerry to push the Explorers up 5-4 before the end of the period.
The Explorers started the fourth with another goal from Koerper, pushing their lead out to two, 6-4. Villanova did not see a second half goal until the 3:58 mark of the fourth with
Anna Painter sending a pass over the Byles that she quickly sent in from the left side of the goal, cutting the deficit to one at 6-5. Koerper scored another for the Explorers with two 'Cats surrounding her, making it a 7-5 game with 1:01 remaining. After calling a timeout with 11 seconds remaining, Villanova got a goal back from Hansen with six seconds on the clock, but could not get La Salle out of its following possession to go for the tying goal.
