SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team helped its chances of earning a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament bid with a crucial 13-9 win vs. Millersville Saturday afternoon at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The win snaps SRU's three-game losing skid and improves its record to 8-6 overall and 4-5 in league play. Millersville drops to 9-6 overall and 5-5 in conference competition with the loss.
 
With three games remaining in the regular season, Slippery Rock is currently a half of game behind moving into a three-way tie for sixth place in the conference standings with Millersville and Seton Hill (6-9, 5-5 PSAC); the top six teams in the standings at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for the PSAC Tournament. If SRU and Millersville finish with the same conference record, The Rock would hold the tiebreaker over the Marauders based on Saturday's result. Slippery Rock and Seton Hill are scheduled to play in both teams' regular-season finale April 26.
 
The duo of Kaytlin Callaghan and Tia Torchia led SRU to the win. Both players had three goals with Callaghan also adding one assist. Callaghan exits the weekend leading The Rock in points at 48. The three-goal outing from Torchia was her best of the season.
 
Erin Wilcox, Caitlynn Palladino and Chynna Chan added two goals apiece while Jasey Sanders rounded out The Rock's scorers with one goal, her eighth strike of the season. Anna-Marie Warrington's two assists were a team-best as well.
 
Wilcox and Torchia each caused three Millersville turnovers and Jordan Wagner made eight saves to help lead a defensive attack that forced 19 Millersville miscues and eight failed clear attempts. Conversely, SRU was 16-for-19 on clear attempts and matched its season-low in turnovers committed with just 11.
 
Millersville jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead over the game's first 12 minutes of play before Slippery Rock stormed back with four unanswered goals to take two-goal advantage that it would never relinquish. Callaghan scored two of the four goals over the run.
 
Following a Marauder goal by Sabrina Fusco, SRU closed the opening half by tallying three of the period's final four scores to take a 7-4 lead into the break. Chan, Sanders and Torchia were responsible for The Rock goals.
 
SRU and Millersville traded goals to start the second half before Slippery Rock put the game away with an offensive barrage that featured five goals in 17 minutes to increase its lead on the Marauders to six at 13-7 with 3:53 left to play in regulation. Millersville added two more goals to end the game, but never seriously threatened The Rock's sizable lead as SRU cruised to the 13-9 victory.
 
Millersville was led by Fusco and Bryana Weston-Wyatt. Fusco scored three goals and Weston-Wyatt made 14 saves.
 
Slippery Rock continues its three-game homestand when it hosts No. 5 Mercyhurst 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.