OLEAN, N.Y. - La Salle (4-4-7) extended their winning streak to three matches with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over St. Bonaventure (3-8-3) on Saturday afternoon at the Marra Athletics Complex. The match drew a crowd of 427 spectators who witnessed a compelling Atlantic 10 conference battle.
Ismael Deme put La Salle ahead in the 54th minute, converting a well-placed assist from Alexandru Zama. St. Bonaventure responded through Avery Dreasky in the 65th minute, who finished off a setup from Seth Hammond. The decisive moment came in the 84th minute when Julius de Vries netted the winner off a combination play from Zachary Forehand and Drew Blackwell.
The first half saw both teams create multiple opportunities, with La Salle's Sean Yurgel particularly active early. Yurgel tested the St. Bonaventure defense with three shots in the opening 25 minutes. Dean Mercer and Seth Hammond provided the offensive thrust for the Bonnies, with Hammond forcing a save in the 31st minute. The teams entered halftime deadlocked at 0-0, with La Salle holding a slight 7-6 advantage in shots.
The second half intensified immediately as both teams pushed for the breakthrough. After Deme's opener, St. Bonaventure showed resilience through Dreasky's equalizer. The match saw several tactical adjustments, with both coaches utilizing their benches. La Salle made key substitutions, bringing on fresh legs that ultimately contributed to de Vries' winner.
Final statistics reflected the match's competitive nature. La Salle outshot St. Bonaventure 15-13, putting seven shots on target compared to the Bonnies' five. The Explorers also held an 8-5 advantage in corner kicks. The physical contest saw seven yellow cards issued, including cautions to La Salle's Alexandru Zama (67'), Drew Blackwell (79'), and Alberto Esquivel (82'), while Brendan Sheehan received St. Bonaventure's lone yellow in the 83rd minute.
Several players delivered standout performances. La Salle's Zachary Forehand was influential throughout, contributing to the winning goal and creating multiple chances. For St. Bonaventure, Seth Hammond proved dangerous in attack, while Dean Mercer registered three shots. Both goalkeepers were tested, with La Salle's netminder making four crucial saves and St. Bonaventure's keeper recording five stops.
The tactical battle saw La Salle effectively utilize wide areas, with Oluwatobi Osoba and Americo Pereira providing width in attack. St. Bonaventure countered through quick transitions, with Kyle Macfarlane and Daniel Helle showing particular effectiveness in midfield distribution.
This victory strengthens La Salle's position in the Atlantic 10 standings as they continue their impressive run of form. The Explorers have now won three straight matches, showing remarkable improvement from their early-season results. For St. Bonaventure, despite a spirited performance, the loss extends their winless streak to two matches.
The match ultimately turned on de Vries' clinical finish, but both teams demonstrated quality throughout the 90 minutes. La Salle's ability to respond after conceding the equalizer showed their growing confidence, while St. Bonaventure's resilient performance suggests better results may be on the horizon. The Explorers will look to extend their winning streak when they host George Washington on November 1, while St. Bonaventure travels to Fordham the same day, seeking to bounce back from this narrow defeat.