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WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team saw its storybook season come to end Friday with a 1-0 loss at West Chester University in the NCAA Division II Tournament's Round of 16 at South Campus Field.
The Golden Rams broke through with the only goal of the game with just 4:24 to play to seal the win and advance to the quarterfinals Sunday.
Slippery Rock finishes its 2012 season with an overall record of 14-6-3, the 17th consecutive season with 10 or more wins. West Chester improves to 15-4-1 overall.
Friday's game was drastically different from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference quarterfinal that was dominated by Slippery Rock, as West Chester established the tempo and displayed fresh legs after playing just one game in the last two weeks. Slippery Rock entered the game having played five games on the road over the last two weeks.
"I think we looked tired today," said head coach
Noreen Herlihy. "What this team did over the last two weeks was incredible. Being the underdog and winning on the road the way they did was an amazing accomplishment. I couldn't be more proud of this team."
West Chester finished the game with an 11-4 edge in total shots and a 5-3 edge in shots on goal.
Jen Hutchinson scored the lone goal of the game off an assist from Melissa McKeary in the 86th minute. Shannon Fedyk earned the win in goal after making three saves.
Dana O'Neill made four saves in the loss for Slippery Rock and increased her season minutes total to 2,125, more minutes than any goalkeeper in the nation has played this season. She finishes the year with 10 shutouts, a 0.80 goals against average and a .812 save percentage.
Slippery Rock nearly opened the game's scoring early in the first half when
Lucy Hannon beat her defender and found a streaking
Shelby Ward in the box, but Ward's shot hit the cross bar and came straight down, staying out and keeping the game scoreless.
The Rock had two chances late in the second half to get the game's first goal, but back-to-back corner kicks were cleared out by West Chester, who scored its lone goal in transition.
Friday's game marked the final game in the careers of seniors
Erin Storck,
Kara Mullins,
Shelby Ward,
Marissa Anderson and captain
Emer Flatley. The group leaves the program as one of the most decorated classes in school history, winning the PSAC title this season, playing in the NCAA playoffs three times and reaching the Sweet 16 twice.
The defending conference champions will return a strong contingent for next season, with just two starters leaving to graduation. Five All-PSAC players will return to lead the team, including Hannon, O'Neill,
Leslie Henny,
Lauren Impey and
Izabel Scott.
