SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Junior forward Matt Sangermano scored off of a beautiful pass from senior midfielder Stephen McConahy in the 82nd minute to give the Slippery Rock University men's soccer team a 1-0 victory against California (Pa.) in the first round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament Tuesday afternoon at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
Slippery Rock, the fourth seed in the tournament, now moves on to play top-seeded Mercyhurst University 1:30 p.m. Friday at Mercyhurst. The Lakers earned the right to host the semifinals and finals after finishing the season with the best overall conference record. Mercyhurst edged The Rock, 1-0, earlier in the regular season.
 
The win improves The Rock's record to 12-6 overall. California ends its season at 9-7-1.
 
Sangermano, who was coming off of a hat trick in The Rock's regular season finale, tallied his team-leading ninth goal of the year. He has scored seven goals over his last four games played. McConahy's assist was his third of the season and second in as many games.
 
While it was Sangermano's goal and McConahy's pass that accounted for the game-winning goal, SRU's win Tuesday was a true team effort.
 
Junior goalkeeper Steven Rerick made six saves, freshman midfielder Justin Minda stopped a Vulcan shot into an open Rock net that would have tied the contest in the 85th minute and the entire SRU team successfully cleared six California corner attempts.
 
Possession was nearly even throughout the majority of what quickly turned into a physical contest between two teams playing to extend their seasons.
 
Following a first half in which only four shots were recorded, the Vulcans came out of the halftime break firing off 10 attempts in the opening 30 minutes of play in the second period.
 
However, The Rock's defense successfully fended off all the shots and the SRU attack was eventually able to counter late in the game when McConahy played a pass from 12 yards out into the middle of California's zone to Sangermano who finished with a shot to the upper right of the goal past Vulcan goalkeeper Lucas Exner at 81:34.
 
California managed two more shots in the final 10 minutes, but one attempt sailed high and Minda stopped a header by Eric Campbell that appeared to be going in at 84:18. SRU worked the rest of the clock down and was never again seriously threatened en route to the victory.
 
For the game, California held a 13-7 advantage in shots and a 6-4 lead in corners.
 
Slippery Rock will be playing in the PSAC Tournament semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons. In 2013 Slippery Rock defeated Millersville in the semifinals and Mercyhurst in the finals in Erie, Pennsylvania to claim the PSAC championship.