Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Gabrielle Malishchak scored a goal two minutes into overtime to defeat sixth-ranked Indiana (Pa.) 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. The victory earned The Rock a spot in the PSAC playoffs for the first time since 1987.

Slippery Rock (6-12, 5-5 PSAC-West) will play Indiana (Pa.) in the first round of the PSAC Tournament 7 p.m. Tuesday in Indiana.

In the final home game of their careers, four seniors came through when most needed. Rebecca Coleman scored The Rock's first goal in which Brittany Schultz assisted on. On defense, Skylar Brosse made a crucial defensive save early in the second half and Erin Moran made several key stops.

Freshman goalie Courtney Lee stopped five shots and improved to 6-6 on the season with the win. Junior Grace Bathurst assisted on Malishchak's goal in overtime.

SRU won the game despite being outshot 13-11 and being out cornered 6-5.

Slippery Rock, which needed to win the game to clinch a playoff berth, started the game on a mission and proceeded to score the first goal of the game at 5:17 when Coleman took Schultz's pass to beat IUP goalie Sarah Lemieux to put SRU up 1-0.  The Rock successfully defended IUP's eight shots and five corners for the remainder of the half to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The Rock's defense continued to impress well into the second half as the Crimson Hawks were unsuccessful in its scoring attempts until Annouk Sickman tied the game at 1-1 with just 5:22 remaining in the second half, ultimately forcing overtime. After not playing an overtime game for the entire season, SRU was headed for its second OT contest in as many games.

Indiana nearly ended The Rock's season 47 seconds into overtime when Shannon Sullivan beat SRU's defenders and had a clean shot at the goal, but Lee was able to make the save and keep Slippery Rock alive. Less than two minutes later in the period, The Rock drew a corner which led to Bathurst finding Malischchak for the game-winning score that propelled Slippery Rock into the PSAC playoffs.

Malishchak led The Rock with four shots. Freshmen Lindsay Brown and Kaili Simmons each recorded two shots.

The victory gives Slippery Rock its second six-win season in the last two years under head coach Julie  Swiney. In comparison, The Rock won just 11 games combined from 2004-09.