Jaspers Down Explorers For First Win

Philadelphia, PA - Senior midfielder Caitlin Murphy (Carmel, NY / Carmel) collected three points, senior tri-captain Molly Fitzpatrick (Yorktown, NY / Lakeland) netted two scores and Manhattan outscored La Salle 7-1 in the second half to nab a 9-4 victory Saturday afternoon at McCarthy Stadium.

The Jaspers gained their first win of the season and the Explorers their first loss, putting both squads at 1-1 in 2019.
 
Manhattan ignited the scoring with two quick scores in the first five minutes of the contest, but La Salle responded with three unanswered tallies to lead 3-2 at halftime. The Kelly Green and White came out of the break in the exact way they started the game: Murphy potted an unassisted goal within the first four minutes of the frame, and Fitzpatrick drew a foul inside the eight-meter arc, leading to a free position strike to give Manhattan a 4-3 edge it would not relinquish. Their goals ignited a seven-goal run in the second half.

The Jaspers return home on Wednesday, February 27 to host LIU Brooklyn, who fell to La Salle 17-4 earlier in the year. The opening draw is expected at 4:00 pm.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• With her two goals, Fitzpatrick moved into a tie for ninth-place all-time with Jenny Carman '07 at 92 career scores. She surpassed former teammate Megan Yarusso '16.
• After making a pair of saves towards the end of the first half, senior tri-captain Nikki Prestiano (Yorktown Heights, NY / Yorktown) allowed one goal with six stops in the second half, finishing with eight on the day.
• The result is Manhattan's first win over La Salle and the first win over an A-10 foe since a 13-6 victory over Saint Joseph's on March 8, 2014.
• Prestiano led the team with seven ground balls, while junior defender Susan Morad (Manassas, VA / Bishop Ireton) recorded five and caused a turnover.
• Senior tri-captain Emma Kaishian (Yorktown, NY / Yorktown) paced the Jaspers with a pair of caused turnovers and tied with junior midfielder Emily Sandford (Floral Park, NY / Sacred Heart) for tops with two draw controls.
• Manhattan held the statistical advantage in shots (25-21), ground balls (22-18), clears (20-16) and saves (8-5). They also had fewer fouls and turnovers.
• The Jaspers were 3-6 in free position opportunities.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• Murphy broke the ice 3:17 in with an unassisted goal, her first of the season.
• Ninety-one seconds later, Fitzpatrick drew a foul to deposited her second free-position goal of the year.
• Prestiano made her first save on the day with 3:41 left in the first, stopping Bridget Ruskey.
• The netminder denied Sarah Elias on a free-position opportunity with 48 seconds to go until halftime.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• After La Salle controlled the first draw, Prestiano had to deny Ruskey 12 seconds into the second half.
• Murphy's second of the game 2:56 out of halftime evened the game at three.
• Fitzpatrick's second free-position snipe came 39 seconds later, giving Manhattan the 4-3 edge.
• At 25:06, sophomore attacker Alaina Burgess (Holden, MA / The Governor's Academy) found the back of the net for her second goal this season.
• With just over seven minutes down, senior attacker Talia Price (Kinnelon, NY / Kinnelon) threaded the twine for the first time this season.
• Prestiano made another free-position save, this time against Hope Smith, with 17:56 left.
• Freshman attacker Cassidy Burns (Massapequa, NY / Plainedge), making ehr second straight start, earned her first-career goal with 13:55 to play.
• With 8:38 remaining, Sandford ripped Manhattan's third and final free-position goal of the day.
• To cap the Jaspers' output, Murphy found freshman attacker Grace Lipponer (Lake Grove, NY / Sachem North), who recorded her fourth goal in two games.