Oct. 30, 2009

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - Behind the performance of the season, a four-goal outburst by senior Cher King, No. 19 UMass field hockey defeated La Salle, 6-3, on Friday afternoon at Garber Field. After the Explorers took a quick 1-0 lead, King scored four-straight and freshman Kim Young scored twice. The victory keeps the Minutewomen's playoff hopes alive heading into Sunday's regular season finale against West Chester at home beginning at noon.

King's four goals are the most by a UMass player since Erica Johnston had four in a 8-1 win over Cal on Sept. 6, 1997 at Garber Field. King's old career high was two in a game and UMass' last hat trick was when Katie Kelly netted three against Saint Joseph's in the A-10 semifinals on Nov. 8 of last year.

With the win, UMass moves into fifth-place in the A-10 standings at 2-3. West Chester, the Minutewomen's opponent on Sunday, is in a three-way tie for second-place with Saint Joseph's and Temple. The Hawks play at Saint Louis on Sunday and Temple hosts Richmond that same afternoon. The top four teams qualify for the Atlantic 10 Championship on Nov. 6-7 at UMass' Garber Field.

La Salle's Rebecca Chylack scored the game's first goal just 1:10 into the game off a penalty corner. Around the 15-minute mark, UMass turned the tide in its favor, and King, who came into the game with two goals on the season, put her team on the board in the 19th minute by knocking in a rebound.

That was the start of the King scoring barrage. Just over two minutes later, she scored off a one-timer to the left of the goal on a pass from Katie Kelly outside the circle. Just after halftime, King knocked in another rebound in the 39th minute, giving her the hat trick. Her fourth goal, giving her six for the season, came in the 44th minute when she tipped home a Makaela Potts shot off a penalty corner, giving UMass a 4-1 lead.

La Salle made it a two-goal game when Beth Carey scored in the 50th minute, but Kim Young made it 5-2 when she netted her second goal of the season, scoring off a pass from Nikki Panciocco off a penalty corner in the 52nd minute.

Carey struck again for the Explorers in the 59th minute, but Young answered for UMass yet again, knocking in a rebound, for her third goal of the year, in the 61st minute making it a 6-3 game.

Final shots were 30-11 in favor of the Minutewomen, while UMass also held the edge in penalty corners, 11-6.

Alesha Widdall made two saves in goal to get the win in goal, while Emma Ruth made 11 stops for the Explorers.