SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University women's soccer junior forward
Dara Demich scored on a breakaway goal with 34 seconds remaining in regulation to give The Rock a 2-1 win against California University (Pa.) Tuesday afternoon at James Egli Field in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play.
The win is The Rock's second consecutive conference victory and third overall win in the last four games. SRU exits the California match at 3-2 overall and 2-1 in league contests. The Vulcans fall to 3-1-1 overall in both regular season and conference games.
Tuesday's contest was just the latest in the long line of tight games between the rival teams that have met in the postseason on six occasions since 2010. SRU has now won six of the last seven games in the series and owns a 23-10-2 record against the Vulcans all-time.
Demich and junior forward
Andrea Felix led Slippery Rock in the win. Both players scored goals with Demich also assisting on Felix's score. Felix now has five goals on the year, the second most in the PSAC, while Demich's goal was her third of the season.
After methodical starts by both teams, Slippery Rock struck first when Demich put a pass in to Felix from the right side of the Vulcans' goal that allowed her to beat California goalkeeper Meghan Jayes for the game's first goal in the 34th minute.
Slippery Rock held onto the one-goal lead for the remainder of the first half and the majority of the second period as well until the 85th minute when the Vulcans' Danielle Kearns attempted a corner kick and proceeded to miraculously place the ball just inside the left post of The Rock's goal to tie the game at 1-1 with 5:41 left in the period.
Overtime seemed imminent as the final seconds of the half ticked away until Demich came through with a great run that concluded with her successfully firing at the lower left corner of the California goal to give The Rock a 2-1 lead with 34 seconds remaining on the clock to secure the win.
Demich's big day against California was just the latest in what has become a trend for her against the Vulcans. In five career games against California, Demich has scored five goals with two assists and three game-winning goals.
Felix finished the game with a team-high two shots on goal while the quartet of Demich, senior midfielder
Allison Harbart, junior defender
Sam Thornton and junior defender
Lynn Neef all placed shots on goal as well. Freshman goalkeeper
Charlotte Elrod stopped two shots in the win.
For the game, Slippery Rock held advantages over the Vulcans in both total shots (15-6) and shots on goal (6-3). California held a slight edge in corners (4-3).
Slippery Rock concludes its five-match homestand when it hosts Indiana (Pa.) Sept. 19 for a 3:30 p.m. match at Egli Field.
