INDIANA, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team rallied back from an early 6-1 deficit to upset No. 19 Indiana University (Pa.) 16-15 Wednesday evening in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference thriller at George P. Miller Stadium. Bre Vodde netted the game-winning goal with just 48 seconds to play.
 
The Crimson Hawks (4-2, 1-2 PSAC) scored two goals in the first minute of the game and jumped out to a 6-1 lead with just under 11 minutes to play in the opening half before Slippery Rock (5-2, 1-2 PSAC) began to mount its rally.
 
The Rock reeled off five straight goals to tie the game at 6-6 with just under two minutes to play in the half, but Indiana would regain the edge with 14 seconds left in the period to take a 7-6 lead into halftime.
 
The Rock scored two early goals to open the second half and took an 8-7 lead, but Indiana responded with two goals of its own to regain a one-goal advantage less than five minutes into the half. Those first few minutes of the second period were indicative of how the rest of the game would go as both teams traded blows for the final 25 minutes with neither squad ever building more than a two-goal cushion.
 
In total, the second half featured seven ties and six lead changes. The final tie of the game came with just 3:35 to play. Slippery Rock had scored back-to-back goals to take a 15-14 lead with 4:42 to play, but Indiana tallied a goal with 3:35 to play that knotted the game at 15-15.
 
Indiana won the ensuing draw control, but would never get a shot attempt away after turning the ball over twice. Slippery Rock misfired on the first turnover, but got the ball back after the second IUP turnover and made it count when Vodde fired home the game-winner with 48 seconds to play.
 
Tia Torchia won the final draw control of the game with 45 seconds left and Slippery Rock was able to run out the clock.
 
The victory marked the first road win for Slippery Rock at Indiana and just the second overall win in 17 meetings between the two programs. The Crimson Hawks had won all nine previous home meetings and had won the last six consecutive games in the series, including a 5-4 victory at home in the first round of the PSAC playoffs last spring.
 
The Rock finished the game with advantages in nearly every statistical category, including a 34-22 edge in total shots and a 31-20 margin in shots on goal. Indiana goalie Lauren Piecknick was stellar in keeping her team in the game. She finished with 15 saves, including eight in the second half when she faced 18 SRU shots on target.
 
SRU also posted a 17-16 edge in draw controls and a 27-26 advantage in ground balls. Both teams failed on four clear attempts with SRU going 17-of-21 and IUP going 19-of-23.
 
Torchia paced The Rock attack with a career-high six goals, including five in the second half. She also grabbed five draw controls, six ground balls and caused two turnovers.
 
Vodde finished with three points on two goals and one assist, as did Jasey Sanders. ShyAnne Toomer added two goals and Caitlyn Byerly scored one goal and handed out one assist to cap the multi-point scorers.
 
Tori Penders scored one goal and grabbed a team-high seven draw controls. Ally Culhane and Danie Porath each scored one goal to cap the point scorers and Rachel Shaw matched Torchia for a team-high six ground balls.
 
Emily Bitka allowed a season-high 15 goals, but earned the victory after recording five saves, including three in the second half.
 
Indiana was paced offensively by Ally Burrows, who finished with a game-high eight goals, scoring more than half of her team's markers. Adriana Greco added a hat trick and Riley Greenleaf scored two goals as that trio combined for 13 of Indiana's 15 goals.
 
Slippery Rock was playing its third nationally ranked PSAC opponent in a row and will have little time to savor the win as its fourth straight ranked opponent will visit this Saturday when No. 21 East Stroudsburg travels to SRU for a 2 p.m. game.
 
 
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