A 2–1 loss against La Salle broke GW’s undefeated streak with its first conference loss Thursday after the Colonials managed to fend off its first two Atlantic 10 rivals with draws as the regular season heats up on the road ahead.
The Colonials (3-1-5) suffered their first loss of the season on the road in Philadelphia following a series of miscues that propelled the Explorers (6-4) to their first A-10 victory of the season. GW mustered an early goal in the second half after a slow first half, but the Colonials could not keep the momentum and let in two goals on defensive errors, including an own goal that nulled the team’s only lead.
The Colonials shot at a .063 clip with 10 shots on goal through the match, where defense made the difference for both teams. GW outshot La Salle with a season-high 16 attempts, but the Colonials could only find the net once despite notching their third game of the season with double-digit shots on goal.
Junior midfielder Elizabeth Cruz and freshman midfielder Aoi Kataoka led the way with three shots apiece, which brings their season total up to 9 and 11 shots, respectively.
The game got off to a slow start with strong defense that kept both teams from scoring. GW freshman goalkeeper Grace Crowe collected two saves in the first half on the way to a career-high six saves throughout the game, bringing her season total to 17 with a .773 save percentage.
The first half remained scoreless as both teams battled each other’s offense, accumulating 10 combined fouls when tight defense boiled into more aggressive play to prevent scoring early on in the game. The Colonials failed to stay inside the opponent’s zone during the first half due to the rigid La Salle defense.
GW picked up some momentum at the top of the half, firing five shots but failing to put them past goalkeeper Michaela Auguadro. As the pace intensified with a 0–0 tie sill in place, GW’s junior defender Margaret Rabbitt picked up a yellow card after a failed tackle.
Junior forward Lauren Prentice turned the match around, scoring the Colonials’ only goal of the game 18 seconds into the second half coming off an assist from graduate defender Cammie Dopke. Prentice’s second goal of the season brought her shooting percentage up to .286.
An own goal from GW tied the game in the 77th minute and aided a struggling La Salle offense that had yet to find the net on its own. La Salle sophomore forward Haley Gschrey was leading an attack toward the GW net when she knocked the ball in the direction of a Colonials defender, who accidentally deflected it for a goal while attempting to guard the zone.
GW’s string of bad luck would haunt them again five minutes later in the 82nd minute when the defense rushed to defend the left and kept the box wide open for a La Salle assist to Gschrey, who tapped it in for her third goal of the season. The score put the Explorers on top 2–1.
The Colonials could not turn it around in the final eight minutes of the game, marking their first loss of the season that snapped an undefeated eight-game streak.
GW will travel to Dayton where they will take on the Flyers looking for their first conference win Thursday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.