Oct. 10, 2007

Final Stats

Indiana, Pa. - Hosting Indiana U. of Pa. handed the 22nd-ranked Rock its second successive loss Wednesday afternoon via a 2-0 verdict in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action.

Despite the loss, The Rock (10-3-1 overall, 6-1-1 PSAC-W) maintains a comfortable lead in the PSAC-West championship race.

Heading into Wednesday's action, SRU led second-place Edinboro by eight points (19-11)in the points system that awards three points for a division-game win and one point for a division-game tie.

The Rock can clinch the division's regular-season title and a first-round bye in the conference playoff with a win in either of its final two PSAC-West games (Oct. 18 vs. Clarion, Oct. 24 at Lock Haven).

Failing that, The Rock can also clinch the division title if Edinboro (6-4-3, 3-2-2 PSAC-W) and third-place IUP (8-4, 4-3 PSAC-W) each lose one of their remaining games.

Edinboro, which hosted Clarion (4-7-2, 2-4-1 PSAC-W) in a Wednesday night game, travels to Lock Haven (8-7-1, 3-3-1 PSAC-W) on Saturday and visits California (3-11-1, 1-5-1 PSAC-W) next Wednesday.

IUP, the two-time defending PSAC-West champion, hosts Lock Haven in an Oct. 20 game and visits Clarion for an Oct. 24 game.

Lock Haven nipped last-place California by a 1-0 score Wednesday to temporarily take over fourth place in the division standings. A Clarion win at Edinboro would move the Golden Eagles back into a tie with LHU for the No. 4 spot.

In Wednesday's Rock at IUP game, the hosts outshot their guests by an 18-15 margin overall.

The Rock played Wednesday with leading scorer and three-time All-PSAC-West first-team selection Meghan McGrath on the sidelines due to injury.

Both Rock goalie Lauren McManus and IUP netminder Kelsey Dowling were credited with seven saves in Wednesday's game.

IUP scored the first goal of the game in the 20th minute of action and added an insurance tally on a penalty-kick goal in the 85th minute.

The Rock returns to action at 3 p.m. Saturday, when it will host Charleston (W. Va.) in a Homecoming Weekend game on James W. Egli Soccer Field.

SRU then hosts Wheeling Jesuit in a 3 p.m. game Monday (tentatively scheduled to be played on Egli Field) before its 7 p.m. date Oct. 18 with Clarion on Bob DiSpirito Field at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.