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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The 12th ranked Slippery Rock University women's soccer team punched its ticket to the NCAA Division II Tournament's Round of 16 for the third consecutive year with a 2-1 overtime win over No. 24 Shippensburg Sunday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

The second round game was played in driving rain and heavy winds that would play a factor in two of the game's three goals.

It looked like Slippery Rock would run away with a win after leading 1-0 at halftime and not allowing the Lady Raiders a single shot attempt in the opening 45 minutes. Shippensburg dispelled that notion in part thanks to playing with the wind in the second half and getting help from the slippery conditions.

Lauren Impey netted the opening goal for Slippery Rock in the 21st minute with a perfectly placed free kick that just eluded a diving Shelbie Rackley and slipped inside the near post to make it 1-0.

The Rock posted a 6-0 edge in shots and a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks in the first half.

Shippensburg didn't get its first shot of the game until the 62nd minute when Stephanie Allshouse sent a seemingly harmless shot from long range to the net where it looked like Rock keeper Dana O'Neill would make an easy save. The wet ball slipped through her gloves to the foot of Kate Zech, who punched it into the empty net to tie the game at 1-1.

That would be the only real scoring chance of the game for Shippensburg, but Slippery Rock struggled to score the winner in regulation while playing into a driving wind and rain.

The Lady Raiders won the coin toss in overtime and elected to play with the wind again, but Slippery Rock wouldn't need the wind in their favor.

After a foul was called with one minute to play in the opening overtime, Impey sent a perfect free kick from the right side into the box where Sam Thornton headed home the game-winner into the left side of the net with 47 seconds left in the extra period. It was the first collegiate goal for the freshman that has missed most of the season with injuries.

O'Neill faced just two shots on target and made one save to earn her 11th win of the season. Rackley, who was outstanding between the posts for Shippensburg in the 1-0 win over Edinboro in the first round, finished with two saves in the loss.

The Rock finished the game with advantages of 9-3 in total shots, 4-2 in shots on goal and 5-1 in corner kicks.

Slippery Rock improves to 14-3-2 with the win, while Shippensburg sees one of the finest seasons in school history come to an end with a 12-6-3 overall record.

The game was the ninth overtime game of the season for Shippensburg, and was the first overtime loss after the team went 5-0-3 in the previous eight.

Slippery Rock advances to the NCAA Round of 16 for the third year in a row and will meet a familiar foe in rival California (Pa.) Friday for the Atlantic Region title in Albany, N.Y. at the College of St. Rose.

The Super Region seeds held true with the Atlantic No. 1 California and No. 2 Slippery Rock getting to the Round of 16 and the East No. 1 St. Rose and No. 2 American International also getting through.

The winners of Friday's regional finals will meet Sunday in the quarterfinals with a trip to the NCAA Final Four in Evans, Ga. on the line.

Game time, ticket information and live coverage options will be announced later in the week.