WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University field hockey team knocked off third-ranked West Chester University, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at Vonnie Gros Field in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
The victory improves The Rock's record to 6-3 overall and 1-0 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference competition. West Chester, which entered the game ranked third in the nation in the most recent National Field Hockey Coaches Association top-10 poll, drops to 5-2 overall and 0-1 in league games with the loss.
Saturday's victory marked The Rock's first win over a team ranked in the top-five of the NFHCA poll since 2014 when SRU downed No. 5 East Stroudsburg, 3-2. Additionally, SRU's six wins this season already match The Rock's win totals from both 2015 (6-12) and 2016 (6-12).
Slippery Rock was led Saturday by the goal-scoring quartet of
Kayla Ulrich,
Brittany Morgan,
Kailee Krupski and
Allison Grant. Ulrich also assisted on one score as did
Liz Wolfe and
Abby McKay.
West Chester recorded the game's first goal when Mackenzie Mikvy corralled a rebound and beat Rock goalie
Nicole Bream for an early score just six minutes into the first half. Slippery Rock answered back 20 minutes later when Ulrich netted her team-leading sixth goal of the season off of an assist by Wolfe.
Ulrich placed two more shots on goal over the final nine minutes of the opening half, but WCU goalkeeper Marissa Elizardo stopped each attempt. Meanwhile, The Rock's defense successfully cleared four Golden Ram penalty corners and fended off six shots following WCU's goal to send the game into the break tied at 1-1.
West Chester and Slippery Rock proceeded to trade goals through the early stages of the second half as Kaitlin Hatch briefly gave WCU a 2-1 lead with a goal at 36:48 before Morgan evened the contest at 2-2 with a strike at 37:12 on an Ulrich assist. Morgan's goal was her fourth of the season. The West Chester match also marked the first start of Morgan's collegiate career.
After 20 minutes of scoreless play, WCU's Rachal Toppi put the Golden Rams ahead 3-2 with a goal in the 60th minute. However, Slippery Rock once again had an answer for the nationally ranked Golden Rams.
Slippery Rock first found the equalizing goal at 63:48 when Grant scored an unassisted goal to make it a 3-3 contest. Slippery Rock then struck the go-ahead goal when Krupski beat Elzardo on an assist from McKay with just 2:53 left in regulation. West Chester managed two final shots on goal in the game's closing moments, but freshman goalkeeper
Maddie Murphy saved both attempts as SRU finished off the 4-3 upset-victory.
Bream started the game in goal for The Rock, stopping nine shots and allowing two goals in 55 minutes of playing time. Murphy subbed in for the final 15 minutes of the second half to make four saves and give up one goal.
Slippery Rock earned the victory despite West Chester holding sizeable leads in both shots (22-8) and penalty corners (17-2). Ulrich accounted for five of Slippery Rock's eight shots Saturday.
SRU will look to push its winning streak to three games with a victory against Indiana (Pa.) 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
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