Box Score

INDIANA, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team overcame a 5-1 halftime deficit to tie the game with eight seconds left before dropping an 11-10 heartbreaker in overtime on the road at Indiana University (Pa.) in a crucial Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference match Tuesday night at Miller Stadium.

The loss drops SRU to 8-5 overall and 3-5 in PSAC action and puts The Rock in nearly a must-win situation in their final three conference games if they wish to make the playoffs. Indiana improved to 9-4 overall and 4-4 in PSAC play.

Trailing 5-1 at halftime, Slippery Rock mounted a furious comeback in the second half that was capped by a goal from Casey Quinn with eight seconds remaining in regulation that tied the game at 10-10 and set up the overtime finish.

In the first three minutes of overtime, Indiana won the draw control but could not solve the Slippery Rock defense and never managed to get a shot off. The Rock won the draw control to start the final three minutes of overtime and held possession for nearly two minutes before Alexis Slutsky's shot was saved with 1:27 to play.

Indiana failed to clear the zone, but Slippery Rock could not capitalize and turned the ball back to the Crimson Hawks with just under a minute to play. Becca Vogt took advantage of the SRU turnover and converted on a wrap-around goal with 19 seconds left that stood as the game-winner after SRU ran out of time and could not get a shot off in the final seconds.

Slippery Rock finished the game with advantages in every major statistical category, including a 29-13 edge in total shots, a 28-23 advantage in ground balls, a 19-6 edge in draw controls and an 18-10 advantage in caused turnovers. The Crimson Hawks cleared the zone successfully on just 12-of-21 attempts, while SRU was successful on 7-of-12 clears.

Indiana used two goalies in the game that combined for 14 saves, while The Rock was credited with just two saves.

Quinn finished the game with four goals to lead The Rock's scoring attack. She also picked up six ground balls and caused three turnovers.

Lauren Laubach scored a hat trick with three goals and picked up a game-high eight draw controls. Amy Halls, Alexis Slutsky and Katie Roof each registered one goal to cap the scoring for SRU.

Vogt led Indiana with a seven-point night that included four goals and three assists. Colleen Berlin added three goals and Beth Glasshagel chipped in two goals.

Kaitlin Sterling was credited with the win in goal for IUP after playing nearly 51 minutes, allowing seven goals and recording nine saves. She was replaced with 15:01 to play in the second half before returning for overtime. Katherine Davis allowed three goals and made five saves in the final 15:01 of the second period.

Kat Elkins took the loss in goal for SRU, allowing 11 goals and recording two saves.

Indiana got its cushion early in the game before holding on down the stretch and squeezing out the win in overtime. The Crimson Hawks scored the first four goals of the game on their first four shots to open up a 4-0 lead with 13:41 to play before halftime.

Slippery Rock's first goal came at the 11:26 mark when Slutsky scored to make it 4-1, but IUP answered with a goal at 3:19 to send it to halftime 5-1.

The Crimson Hawks added to the lead in the first minute of the second half to take a 6-1 lead, but Slippery Rock bounced back when Quinn scored her first of the game at the 26:46 mark to cut it to 6-2.

After another Indiana tally made it 7-2, Laubach and Quinn scored back-to-back goals to cut it to 7-4 with 16:54 to play in regulation.

Again, IUP responded to push the lead back out to 8-4, but this time The Rock answered with a 3-0 run with goals from Quinn, Laubach and Roof to make it a one goal game at 8-7.

Indiana registered the next two goals to regain a three-goal cushion, 10-7, with just 5:10 to play before Slippery Rock rallied again.

The Rock got a goal from Laubach at 4:09 and another from Halls at 1:45 to cut it to 10-9. After a shot from Laubach was saved with under a minute to play, Quinn drew a charging call at midfield and was awarded possession with 23 seconds left.

On the whistle, she stormed down the field and scored into the bottom of the net with just eight seconds left on the clock, sending the game to overtime and setting up the finish.

Tuesday's game was the final road game of the season for SRU, which will close the year with four consecutive home games. The Rock will welcome East Stroudsburg to Thompson Stadium Friday at 4 p.m. and will host Bloomsburg Saturday at 1 p.m. for PSAC contests.