Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Stephanie Buckenheimer netted a hat trick and finished with four points to lead the 24th-ranked Slippery Rock University women's soccer team to a 7-1 win over Seton Hill to open the season Saturday at Thompson Stadium.

The Rock (1-0) was dominant from the outset of the game, scoring the first goal in the fourth minute and taking a 3-1 lead over the Griffins (1-1) into the half. SRU added four more tallies in the second half to cruise to the win.

Saturday's win was the 16th consecutive game without a loss for Slippery Rock, which finished the 2010 season on a 10-0-5 run. The win was also head coach Noreen Herlihy's 196th career win at Slippery Rock.

Buckenheimer led the way with three goals and one assist, topping her freshman season totals of one goal and one assist from last season. Kara Mullins and Lucy Hannon each added two goals and one assist, while Erin Storck picked up her first collegiate points with two assists. Izabel Scott , Shelby Ward and Nicole Krueger each added one assist.

Dana O'Neill earned the win in goal for Slippery Rock, allowing one goal and recording four saves.

Seton Hill's lone goal came in the 27th minute from Mackiesh Taylor, whose initial shot hit the left post before she corralled the rebound for the score. Bethany Winter took the loss in goal, allowing seven goals and recording two saves.

Slippery Rock finished the game with advantages of 16-9 in total shots, 10-5 in shots on goal and 4-2 in corner kicks.

Mullins opened the scoring in the fourth minute when she scored into an open net off a double assist from Ward and Buckenheimer, who played a long ball down the middle to Ward for the one-touch to Mullins.

Buckenheimer put SRU up 2-0 in the 10th minute when she found the lower left corner of the net off an assist from Hannon.

Taylor's goal in the 27th cut the lead to 2-1, but Hannon netted her first collegiate goal in the 37th minute to make it 3-1.

The second half was all Slippery Rock, with Mullins scoring in the 51st minute and Hannon adding her second in the 59th minute. Buckenheimer tallied her second less than a minute later and closed the game with her third in the 75th minute.

Slippery Rock returns to action Monday when West Virginia Wesleyan visits Thompson Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.