Traditional Box Score

ERIE, Pa. – The tenth-ranked Slippery Rock University field hockey team suffered a dramatic 4-3 loss in 2OT at Mercyhurst University Wednesday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action.
 
Slippery Rock drops to 3-2 on the season and 1-1 in PSAC play with the loss, while Mercyhurst improves to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the conference.
 
Senior Kelsey Gustafson had a monster game for The Rock, tallying two goals and a defensive save, all in the second half and overtime of the loss.
 
Slippery Rock carried play through the opening frame before a turnover at midfield allowed the Lakers to drive down the sideline and find Blair Pembleton on a cross for the game's opening score in the 20^th minute. Pembleton broke free for Mercyhurst just moments later as she centered a pass to Marissa Faso, who buried the shot to give the hosts a 2-0 lead in just the 22^nd minute.
 
The Lakers took the two-goal lead into the break despite being outshot 7-2 and down 4-0 on penalty corners.  Unfazed, The Rock came out strong in the second half and cut the deficit in half on a penalty stroke from Gustafson in the 42^nd minute.
 
After a huge defensive save from Baylee Childress, The Rock built up a period of sustained pressure on the hosts and Gustafson blasted her second goal past the keeper on a feed from Courtney Bradshaw to knot the game at 2-2 in the 55^th minute.
 
Pembleton responded immediately for Mercyhurst, connecting on a pass from Kelsey Lovelace just 13 seconds after The Rock tied the match to regain a 3-2 advantage.
 
With the clock winding down, freshman Kailee Krupski came up with a huge goal for Slippery Rock. The Rock earned a penalty corner and sent the ball to senior Anna Swearingen at the top of the box before hitting Krupski on the right side for the game-tying goal in the 69^th minute.
 
After being outshot 10-4 in the second half, the Lakers fired up the offense in overtime. Mercyhurst outshot Slippery Rock 5-0 in extra time but were held scoreless thanks to a vital defensive save from Kayla Mack.
 
In the second overtime, senior Kaili Simmons snuck behind the Lakers defense and ripped what would be the game-winner, but Mercyhurst goalkeeper Jess Wess made a terrific save to preserve the tie and spark a late rally from the Lakers. Andrea Goldbach emerged from a scrum in the Slippery Rock box and snuck a shot into the back of the cage for the golden goal, giving Mercyhurst a 4-3 upset of #10 Slippery Rock in the 94^th minute of the second extra frame.
 
Junior goalkeeper Carlee DuMars was tagged with the loss after allowing four goals on seven saves, to fall to 3-2 on the season.
 
Gustafson paced The Rock with a pair of goals on two shots, while Krupski added a goal of her own. Bradshaw and Swearingen finished with assists, while Gustafson, Childress and Mack all tallied a defensive save.
 
Despite the loss, #10 Slippery Rock finished the game with advantages of 18-15 in total shots and 15-9 in penalty corners.
 
The tenth-ranked Rock return to action at home against Lindenwood University Saturday. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m. from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.