Box Score
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team saw its season come to an end Saturday night with a 3-1 loss to Lock Haven in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference match at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
With the loss, Slippery Rock finishes the year at 7-8-2 overall and 3-6 in PSAC action. Lock Haven improves to 11-7 overall and 7-2 in league play and has clinched at least a top-two seed in the PSAC playoffs. Unless Millersville wins by six goals tomorrow at West Chester, LHU will be the top seed in the playoffs.
The Bald Eagles scored just 1:28 into the game and added a second tally in the 31st minute to carry a 2-0 lead into halftime.
Slippery Rock cut the deficit to one when
Stephen Donnelly scored a penalty kick in the 71st minute, but a Lock Haven breakaway goal in the 85th minute sealed the win.
Statistically, the game was fairly even in all categories. Slippery Rock posted a 13-10 advantage in total shots and a 3-2 edge in corners, while Lock Haven managed a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Chad Badorf made three saves and an LHU defender was credited with a team save late in the game to preserve the win for the visitors.
Clayton Master made three saves in the loss.
The action picked up right out of the gate when Slippery Rock was called for a foul in the defensive zone. On the free kick, Kevin Wolfe sent a hard shot that was deflected in traffic and found Kyle Fuerst alone on the back post for an easy score at the 1:28 mark.
The Bald Eagles added to the lead at the 30:34 mark when Martin Pletz touched the ball inside the near post after taking a pass from Fuerst, who made a move on the end line to serve it in.
Lock Haven was called for a foul in the box in the 71st minute when a defender pulled down Christopher Davis from behind on a breakaway. Donnelly took the penalty kick and buried into the left side of the net to cut it to 2-1 at 70:48.
With SRU sending everyone forward late in the game, the Bald Eagles were able to counter with a three on one breakaway and Greg Shertzer finished the game off by scoring into an empty net after taking a crossing pass from Adam Supplee at the 84:17 mark.
Slippery Rock had a few chances over the final five minutes, including a shot that was kicked away at the goal line by an LHU defender.
Saturday's game marked the final game in the careers of four Slippery Rock seniors, as
Patrick Conley,
Kenneth Fultz,
Jeremy Feehan and
Alex Swartz all played their final game for in the Green and White.
Lock Haven advances to the PSAC semifinals next week.
