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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Michelle Couch scored off of a penalty corner in the 70^th minute to propel the Slippery Rock University field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over No. 5 East Stroudsburg in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action Sunday afternoon from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The dramatic upset snaps a string of 22 consecutive losses against ESU dating back to 1998. The Warriors had gone 31-1 against Slippery Rock since 1989 entering Sunday's match, while the win marks The Rock's first win against a top-10 opponent since a 3-2 victory over No. 7 Bloomsburg last fall.
 
Baylee Childress anchored a strong defensive performance for SRU with three key defensive saves and freshman Kayla Mack added The Rock's fourth defensive save as Slippery Rock limited the highest scoring team in the PSAC to a single goal.
 
The Rock opened the scoring on a penalty corner in the 17^th minute as Kelsey Gustafson snuck behind the Warriors defense before receiving a rocket-pass from Megan McKay and deflecting it past the outstretched pads of the ESU goalkeeper to give SRU a 1-0 lead.
 
East Stroudsburg came out of the break in the second half poised to make a comeback and got their first look as Gabrielle Siebert broke free in the 50^th minute, but Siebert was denied by Mack before collecting the rebound and being denied again, this time by Childress.
 
Trailing 1-0, the fifth-ranked Warriors called a timeout in the 54^th minute and drew up a great play to get the PSAC's leading scorer, Ally Roth, a look at goal. Jessica Lawville received a stretch pass down the left flank and crossed the ball into the box where Roth made an incredible diving stab at the ball to push the game-tying goal into the SRU cage in the 55^th minute.
 
With the clock dwindling in the final seconds of regulation, Slippery Rock received a penalty corner to set up Couch's heroics. Gustafson reversed the ball around the circle before Couch unleashed a shot that ricocheted through traffic and found the back of the cage to give The Rock a 2-1 victory with 0:00 remaining on the clock.
 
The goal was originally waived off, but the referees reversed the call and counted it after a lengthy debate.
 
Slippery Rock earned the hard fought victory despite ESU holding advantages of 16-9 in total shots and 13-6 in penalty corners.
 
Carlee DuMars picked up the win to improve to 4-4 on the year after allowing a lone goal on five saves.
 
With the victory, Slippery Rock improves to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the PSAC, while No. 5 East Stroudsburg falls to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in league play.
 
Slippery Rock returns to PSAC action Wednesday, Oct. 1 against Indiana (Pa.) at 4 p.m. from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.