Nov. 9, 2003

Final Stats

Slippery Rock, Pa. - Slippery Rock University claimed its first-ever Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference women's soccer championship Sunday afternoon with a 4-3 win over visiting Lock Haven University on James W. Egli Field.

The win improved The Rock's record to 15-2-2 overall, which established a school record for single-season success. The previous bests were 14-5 marks by the 1996 and 2000 teams.

SRU now awaits the receipt of a berth in next weekend's NCAA Division II Northeast Regional tournament. The Rock began last week as the No. 2 ranked team in the region behind Adelphi (N.Y.)

Lock Haven, the No. 6 seed in the six-team conference playoffs, ended its season with a 10-12-1 record. The Bald Eagles knocked off third-seeded Kutztown and No. 2 West Chester in quarterfinal and semifinal action of the conference playoffs.

Junior midfielder Jessica Markowski (North Royalton, OH/Padua Franciscan HS) scored one goal and had an assist to lead The Rock's offensive effort. Senior midfielder Annie Manno (Pittsgrove, NJ/Schalick HS), sophomore midfielder Nici Spamer (McMurray/Peters Township HS) and freshman forward Lauren Steele (Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown HS) had one goal each.

Junior forward Sarah Arsenault (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was credited with two assists, while freshman forward Meghan McGrath (Vernon, NJ/Vernon Township HS), who was named as the championship game MVP, had one assist.

Lock Haven scored the game's first goal at the 8:42 mark of the first half when Cheryl Runko converted an assist from Joanna Bisphan.

Steele's goal - her 17th of the season - came off an assist from Arsenault, and tied score at 1-1 at the 10:27 mark in the first half.

The Bald Eagles regained the lead at the 25:15 mark of the first half on a goal by Jennifer Meassick, assisted by Danielle Smith, before The Rock scored three unanswered goals.

Manno tied the score at 2-2 on an assist from McGrath at the 43:01 mark of the first half.

Spamer converted an assist from Markowski a minute and a half into the second 45-minute half to put SRU on top, 3-2.

The Rock extended its lead to 4-2 seven minutes into the second half on Markowski's goal, assisted by Arsenault.

Lock Haven trimmed the final margin to one goal at the 80:26 mark on a goal by Kimberly Thompson, assisted by Holly Homsher.

Rock sophomore goalie Amanda Wier (Bethlehem/Fairfield [Conn.] HS) and Lock Haven netminder Brandie Kessler had two assists each. The Rock outshot Lock Haven by a 9-7 margin.