Sept. 12, 2007

Final Stats

Slippery Rock, Pa. - Cara Kelleher converted a corner-kick assist from Jaimi Wilson into the game-winning goal Wednesday afternoon to lift the fifth-ranked Rock to a 2-1 double-overtime win over visiting Lock Haven in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division action on Bob DiSpirito Field at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

The goal completed a Rock comeback from a 1-0 deficit, kept SRU (6-1 overall) atop the PSAC-West standings with a perfect 4-0 mark and allowed the Green and White to cash an important gut-check.

The Rock bounced back from its first loss of the season, a 3-1 setback at Kutztown last Saturday, and won with two of its mainstays on the sidelines. Leading scorer and three-time All-PSAC-West first-team selection Meghan McGrath served a one-game suspension after getting two yellow cards at Kutztown, while defender Alexis Chiani was sidelined with an injury.

Lock Haven (2-4-1, 1-2-1 PSAC) scored the first goal of the game in the 43rd minute of action and it appeared for a long time like that would be the only goal of the contest.

Mallory Neubert collected a pass from Meggi Howard in the 84th minute, though, and buried it in the back of the net to tie the score at 1-1.

That's what the scoreboard read at the end of regulation play, as well as after one 10-minute overtime stanza.

Wilson and Kelleher connected two minutes into the second overtime period to score the game-winning tally and end the suspense.

The Rock clearly controlled the action as the hosts outshot the Bald Eagles by a 32-11 margin. Rock goalie Lauren McManus turned away four of five shots on goal, while Lock Haven's Emily Wagner rejected nine of 11 shots on goal.

The Rock, the No. 1-ranked team in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division II Northeast Regional poll, now turns its attention to Saturday's 1:30 p.m. PSAC "crossover" game at Mansfield -- the No. 8 team in the NSCAA regional poll.

SRU then returns to home to host defending PSAC-West champion and 2007 preseason favorite Indiana U. of Pa. in a 7 p.m. game Sept. 20 on DiSpirito Field. IUP is tied Kutztown for 10th place in the latest NSCAA regional poll.