La Salle women's soccer stuns No. 15 Dayton, 2-1

The La Salle women's soccer team upset 15th-ranked and previously unbeaten Dayton, 2-1, at McCarthy Stadium on Friday night in overtime. It was the program's first ever win over a ranked opponent.

With Dayton holding a 1-0 lead, La Salle sophomore Renee Washington tied the game in the 81st minute on a penalty kick, which would force the extra period. Washington then won it early in sudden-death overtime, in the 92nd minute.

The Explorers, who earned the school's first ever national ranking earlier in the week (No. 25 by Soccer America), allowed a goal for the first time this season while improving to 11-0-1 overall, 3-0 in the Atlantic Ten. The Flyers fell to 10-2, 1-1.

"Amazing, it's bedlam here," said head coach Paul Royal. "This is huge, it's what we have been talking about, well now I think we have arrived."

Dayton took a 1-0 lead and broke La Salle's 11-match shutout streak in the 75th minute off a corner kick. Stephanie Emery tallied the goal for the Flyers off assists from Juliana Libertin and Kelsey Owen.

Just six minutes later, the Explorers' Kelsey Haycook had an opportunity to tie the game with a header that was on target, but at the last moment a Dayton defender committed a hand ball in the box, leading to a penalty kick for the Explorers.

Washington struck the penalty kick inside the right post for her sixth goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1.

Just 1 minute, 39 seconds into the first overtime period, Washington took a shot from 30 yards out that snuck underneath the crossbar and beat Dayton keeper Katherine Boone to give La Salle the victory.

Melissa Sanger, of Kingsway Regional, made six saves in net to preserve her 11th victory of the season. She has started every game.

--Gary Potosky