PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle Explorers (7-3, 1-0 Atlantic 10 Conference) scored midway through the second half and held on to hand the St. Bonaventure women’s soccer team (3-7-1, 0-1 A-10) a 1-0 loss in the conference opener for both teams Friday night at McCarthy Stadium.

La Salle’s lone goal came in the 68th minute off a rebounded attempt which caromed off the post after SBU goalkeeper Megan Junker was unable to handle the initial shot. Erin Brennan took the first shot, and from a short angle just in front of the goal line, Kelsey Haycook hit the woodwork. That shot took a fortuitous La Salle bounce back into the center of the box where it found the waiting foot of Anna Dolhansky who deposited it into an open net.

The loss snapped St. Bonaventure’s three-game winning streak while extending La Salle’s home unbeaten stretch to 12 straight games, dating back a 3-1 loss to Rhode Island on Oct. 29, 2010.

Following a scoreless first half, Bonaventure had the better of the play to open the second frame before the reigning A-10 regular-season champions settled in and eventually delivered the game-clinching strike.

Sophomore Molly Curry led the Bona offensive attack with two of the team’s three total shots on net in 45 minutes of action. However, the Bonnies were unable to break through the Explorers’ backline and keeper Gabby Pakhtigian as they were shut out for the sixth time this season, but first in three games.

St. Bonaventure completes its conference-opening roadtrip when it heads to New York City to battle Fordham on Sunday. The Rams opened A-10 play with a 2-0 win over Duquesne Friday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. from Jack Coffey Field in the Bronx.

GAME NOTES: Junker ended the night with six saves as the Explorers attempted 16 shots … each bench was issued a yellow card: St. Bonaventure in the 33rd minute and La Salle in the 88th minute … La Salle controlled the corners with an 8-2 advantage … freshman Amanda Gulli attempted the other SBU shot on frame … the Bonnies finished with six shots attempted … fouls were minimal with the Bonnies being whistled for five and the Explorers just three … La Salle was picked to finish 3rd in the A-10 in preseason voting while the Bonnies were tabbed for a 7th-place showing.

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