SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Junior guard Lexi Carpenter scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Slippery Rock University women's basketball team to a 68-59 victory against Virginia State University Friday on day one of the PSAC-CIAA Challenge at Morrow Field House.
 
Slippery Rock trailed by as many as nine points late in the third quarter, but The Rock would rebound to end the game on a 33-15 run and earn the nine-point victory.

Carpenter scored 13 points in the game's final 11:30 to pace SRU in the win over the Trojans, which entered the game fresh off of a season in which they won the CIAA championship and earned a NCAA Tournament berth.
 
In addition to her scoring attributes, Carpenter also pulled down five rebounds, passed out a game-high five assists and made two steals in her Rock debut.
 
Sophomore guard Krista Pietropola came off the bench to add 10 points and four rebounds on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor, including a pair of three-pointers.
 
Senior forward Megan Hardiman, senior guard Erica Aiello and junior guard Audrey Stapleton rounded out The Rock's top offensive performers. Hardiman scored nine points while Aiello and Stapleton each chipped in seven points with Aiello dishing out four assists as well. Aiello is now six assists away from moving into a tie for 10th place in Rock history for career assists with Nikki Presto (2006-10, 288).
 
Senior forward Sorriyah Ranger had arguably the best game of her SRU career with four points, seven rebounds, one block and one steal. Fellow forward freshman Morgan Henderson had five rebounds and scored three points, all coming on crucial free throws in the second half.
 
As a team, Slippery Rock did a remarkable job taking care of the basketball with just eight turnovers. Conversely SRU's defensive pressure forced VSU into 19 turnovers. The eight miscues are the lowest in a game for Slippery Rock since SRU committed just six turnovers against Indiana (Pa.) a season ago. The Rock's eight turnovers Friday are also the second lowest by an SRU team dating back to the 2010-11 season.
 
For the game, Slippery Rock held advantages over Virginia State in points off turnovers (16-10), points in the paint (22-16) and fast break points (12-0).
 
The victory was Slippery Rock's second consecutive season-opening win; The Rock defeated Salem International to begin the 2014-15 campaign. SRU is now 22-18 in season-openers all-time and 26-14 in home-openers.
 
Wynterra Pittman paced Virginia State with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Slippery Rock will look to cap off its weekend with a victory 4 p.m. Saturday against Chowan on day two of the PSAC-CIAA Challenge at Morrow Field House. The game will feature a pair of undefeated teams after Chowan's win over Seton Hill Friday night.