SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team won its second game in as many days with a 64-62 victory over Chowan University Saturday afternoon on day two of the PSAC-CIAA Challenge at Morrow Field House.
 
Slippery Rock improves to 2-0 on the season with the victory; SRU last started the season 2-0 in 1997-98. Overall Slippery Rock has begun its season with consecutive wins eight times dating back to the 1976-77 season. Chowan drops to 1-1 on the year in the loss.
 
SRU led by as many as 13 points midway through the third quarter, but Chowan chipped away at The Rock's lead and eventually tied the contest at 57-57 with 1:37 remaining in regulation.
 
However, Slippery Rock put any thoughts of a CU comeback-victory to rest with solid play down the stretch that included junior guard Lexi Carpenter scoring five points as well as free throws by sophomore guard Ciara Patterson and junior guard Audrey Stapleton in the game's waning moments to close out the win.
 
While the game became close in the second half, Slippery Rock did not relinquish its lead to Chowan for the final 38:56 of play; Chowan's last lead was at 3-2 early in the first quarter.
 
On the night, Slippery Rock shot an impressive 47.1 percent (24-for-51) from the field overall and 50 percent (7-for-14) from three-point range. The last time SRU shot at least 50 percent from three-point range, minimum 10 attempts, was Nov. 20, 2013 against Clarion (10-for-20).
 
Defensively, SRU held Chowan to shooting percentages of 36.8 (21-for-57) from the field and 33.3 (7-for-21) from three-point territory.
 
Senior guard Erica Aiello and Carpenter paced The Rock's offense with 14 points apiece with Carpenter also grabbing five rebounds and Aiello passing out three assists and making three steals.
 
Patterson and Stapleton rounded out SRU's top offensive performers with nine and eight points, respectively. Both players also came away with two steals on defense.
 
Junior forward Megan Hardiman, who was playing in her 47th consecutive game Saturday, grabbed a team-high six rebounds in addition to chipping in six points and two assists. Despite being in foul trouble for the majority of the game, senior forward Sorriyah Ranger still blocked two shots.

Slippery Rock's bench outscored its counterpart 21-12 behind points from Stapleton, sophomore forward Mallory Heinle (five), sophomore guard Shannon Jack (three), sophomore guard Krista Pietropola (three) and freshman forward Morgan Henderson (two).
 
Alisha Mobley led Chowan with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jada Lee also finished in double figures with 14 points to go with six rebounds.
 
SRU exits its opening weekend with a +6 turnover margin and shooting 40.7 percent (46-for-113) from the field. Carpenter is averaging 18.0 points per game while Hardiman is The Rock's top rebounder with 5.5 rebounds per contest.
 
Slippery Rock will take its perfect record on the road 5:30 p.m. Wednesday when it plays at Edinboro University to open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition. SRU and the Fighting Scots split the season series in 2014-15 with each team winning on its respective home court.