WYNDMOOR, PA- In the PCL’s most anticipated soccer matchup of the regular season, Roman Catholic traveled to La Salle Friday evening focused on knocking off the undefeated Explorers. La Salle, meanwhile, aimed to win their fourth game this week and avenge last season’s semi-final loss to the Cahillites.

It didn’t take long for the effects of the weather conditions to become apparent. The rain in combination with the turf field created a slick surface, resulting in a struggle for either team to maintain possession.

“The weather was definitely a factor,” La Salle senior center-back Jimmy Natale admitted. “The ball skipped a lot and you needed to have a great first touch.”

Fourteen minutes in, Roman’s Jared Dillon had no problem with his first touch. La Salle lost the ball in midfield and Roman countered quickly with a through ball up to Dillon. The forward took it in stride and shot it off the post and in to put Roman up 1-0.

For the Explorers, conceding first was a new experience. This was only the fifth goal they’ve conceded this year and the first time they have trailed their opponents. As the half ended, La Salle Head Coach Tom McCaffery certainly had to make sure his team kept their composure and did not lose confidence.

Whatever was said, it must’ve worked. After only five minutes, La Salle’s Mike D’Angelo struck a beautiful 30-yard free kick into the top corner that energized the team and the home crowd.

“Honestly, I was just going to hit it as hard as I could to the goalie’s side,” D’Angelo explained. “I was hoping it would skip off my foot and go in because the ball was wet.”

A couple minutes later, La Salle took the lead. Senior Spencer Patton put in a low cross to the center of the box that was touched in by Striker Zach Hogan, who scored earlier the past week against Father Judge. This goal may have given the Explorers a little too much confidence, however. Within two minutes, Roman Catholic equalized, silencing the home crowd.

The game remained tied at two for the remainder of the half as well as the two 10-minute overtime periods. Both periods were rather uneventful as both teams became increasingly exhausted after giving it their all for eighty minutes.