Feb. 5, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - At its annual end-of-the-year banquet, the La Salle University Women's Soccer team handed out its postseason awards and reflected on the 2007 season that saw three Explorers finish among the nation's leaders.

Graduating senior Kristin Hextall was named La Salle's Offensive Player of the Year after leading the team in goals (15) and points (36). Those per game totals of 0.75 and 1.8, respectively, placed her 14th in the nation in both categories and first in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Junior Traci DePasquale was second on the team in goals (11) and points (28) and her per game averages of 0.55 (63rd in the country) and 1.4 (57th) also ranked her among the nation's best.

Sophomore Heatherrae Steadman, in her first season as an Explorer, led the team with eight assists, ranking her 53rd in the country with a per game average of 0.42. Those three helped La Salle - as a team - finish 29th in the country in Scoring Offense with 2.05 goals per game, first in the conference.

Also this season, La Salle earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award, finished with the second most wins in school history and had the second highest winning percentage at the school.

Among the other awards given out during the banquet:
Women of the Match Winners - Hextall and DePasquale
Unsung Explorer of the Match Winner - Kim Lisun
Coaches Award - Michelle Verzi and Jenna Guagenti
Newcomer of the Year - Melissa Sanger
Most Improved - Kim Voorhees
Academic Award - Verzi
Defensive Player of the Year - Ally Kenney