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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The 25th ranked Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team opened the 2018 season with a dominant performance in a 19-1 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan Sunday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The victory marked the first win in the tenure of new SRU head coach Kelsey Van Alstyne in her first game with the program and marked the ninth straight season The Rock have won their opening game. West Virginia Wesleyan dropped to 1-1 on the year with the loss.
 
Slippery Rock was dominant from the early stages, scoring two goals in the first three minutes and jumping out to a 12-0 halftime lead. The Rock posted advantages of 39-11 in total shots, 24-14 in ground balls and 13-8 in draw controls. SRU was 12-of-16 on clear attempts and held the Bobcats to just 5-of-17 on the clear after forcing a total of 21 turnovers on the day.
 
The offensive output saw a total of 12 different players score goals and 13 players record at least one point. Jasey Sanders, who missed the entire 2017 season with an injury, tallied four goals to lead the attack. Kelly Muenster added a hat trick and Tia Torchia finished with four points with two goals and two assists. Torchia also posted game-highs of four caused turnovers and three ground balls to go along with three draw controls.
 
Bre Vodde scored two goals and handed out one assist and ShyAnne Toomer and Caitlyn Byerly wach scored one goal and added two assists to finish with three points.
 
Ally Culhane, Tori Penders, Kelsey Thoensen, Francesca Lindelow and Sami Gentzler all scored one goal and Jordan Grey capped the point scorers with one assist.
 
The Rock defense was dominant all day, holding the Bobcats to just 11 total shot attempts and seven shots on goal. Emily Bitka was perfect in the first half between the pipes, recording six saves and allowing no goals in the first 30 minutes to pick up her first win of the year. Haley Barrett played the second half and finished with one goal allowed.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan's goal was scored by Madison Duvall and assisted by Kim Lubic. Gabrielle Cleaveland took the loss in goal after allowing 19 goals and recording nine saves.
 
Slippery Rock will play its next three games on the road, first visiting Lake Erie College next Sunday (March 4) for a 1 p.m. game.
 
 
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