Three teams are participating in their conference post-season play, and to this point each team made it to conference semifinal round. La Salle goes into the Atlantic 10 Tournament as the top seed. They are joined by the 7th seeded Saint Joseph’s Hawks in Richmond. Both schools earned their way with quarterfinal round victories. Meanwhile, the Drexel Dragons as the 2nd seed got a bye to the CAA semifinals.
Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals
#1 La Salle Explorers 3 #8 Dayton Flyers 2 – Jess Shanahan scored what proved to be the game winner. Her goal in the 83rd minute provided the Explorers with a 3 – 1 lead. The insurance was needed because the Flyers would score with just over 5 minutes to play. This was the second goal of the season for Shanahan. La Salle got on the board early when Maci Bower got the initial goal in the 3rd minute. Kristin Haugstad provided the Explorers with a two-goal cushion early in the second half.
La Salle will face the 4th seeded Duquesne Dukes on Friday. The two team met in Philadelphia on September 21, with the Explorers taking a 3 – 0 decision.
#7 Saint Joseph’s Hawks 1 #2 Saint Louis Bilikens 0 – The Hawks pulled the upset over the 2-seed on a goal by Michaela Finneyfrock in the 30th minute. It held up as goal keeper Grace Bendon made 9 saves en route to the road victory. The last save by Bendon came in the 84th minute to preserve the shutout. This was the first home loss for Saint Louis.
Saint Joe’s will meet another quarterfinal upset winner, the 6th seeded VCU Rams on Friday. The Hawks lost in their previous meeting on October 5th in Virginia by a 1 – 0 score.
CAA Semifinal
#2 Drexel Dragons vs. #3 Northeastern Huskies
The teams will square off in Hempstead, NY on Friday. Earlier this season they played to a 1 – 1 tie in Philadelphia on September 21.
Northeastern got the the semifinal round winning at home by a 6 – 0 score over the College of Charleston. The top-seed Hofstra Pride faces the William & Mary Tribe in the other semifinal game.
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