SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team netted a commanding 4-0 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference victory against Pitt-Johnstown Wednesday afternoon at James Egli Field.
 
The victory snapped SRU's two-match losing streak and improved its record to 7-4 overall and 6-3 in PSAC play. The Mountain Cats dropped to 0-11 both overall and in league play with the loss.
 
Junior forward Dara Demich scored two goals, and just missed out on a third, to lead The Rock. Demich has now scored a team-high nine goals on the year and is just two goals shy of matching her career-high for goals in a season. Demich's two-goal outing also moved her into ninth place in Rock history for goals in a career with 23.
 
Also producing goals for Slippery Rock Wednesday were senior midfielder Allison Harbart and freshman forward Skye Kramer. Harbart's score was her second in the last six games and third on the season overall while Kramer's strike was the first of her young career.
 
Sophomore defender Haley Burkholder, senior midfielder Crysta Ganter and freshman forward Taylor Sweeney were all credited with assists as well. Ganter's assist was her third of the season, which is tied with Demich and sophomore midfielder Tess Keeley for the team lead.
 
Freshmen goalkeepers Charlotte Elrod and Kylie Downs combined for The Rock's fifth shutout of the season. Elrod made one save in 72:02 before giving way to Downs, who finished off the shutout with a perfect 17:58 of game time.
 
The contest was never in doubt as Slippery Rock dominated possession for the entire game and outshot the Mountain Cats 28-6.
 
Harbart gave Slippery Rock the early lead when she connected on a penalty kick from the left side of the UPJ zone 16:08 into the game. Demich quickly followed up on Harbart's goal with one of her own 43 seconds later when she took a pass from Burkholder and beat UPJ goalie Leigh Appolonia for the score.
 
Demich extended The Rock's lead to 3-0 when she played a cross from Ganter into the Pitt-Johnstown goal in the 23rd minute of the first half for her sixth career multi-goal game.
 
Slippery Rock's scoring barrage concluded with 44 seconds remaining in the opening period when Kramer rebounded Sweeney's blocked shot to finish off her first collegiate goal and send SRU into halftime leading 4-0.
 
Slippery Rock registered 12 total shots and continued to dominate possession in the second half, but Appolonia and the rest of the UPJ defense was able to defend the attempts to keep the Mountain Cats' final deficit to four goals.
 
Keeley and Demich each tallied five shots in the game with Sweeney close behind at four attempts.
 
The win improves The Rock's all-time record against UPJ to 3-0. SRU has outscored the Mountain Cats a combined 18-0 in the three matches.
 
Slippery Rock will look to continue its winning ways when it travels to East Stroudsburg University Saturday for a 1 p.m. match.