SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team dropped a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference contest against East Stroudsburg University, 2-1. The Warriors scored a penalty kick late and held off The Rock attack en route to the win.
SRU scored a goal in the eighth minute and took a 1-0 advantage into halftime, but ESU tallied scores in the 51st and the 85th minutes to win the game, 2-1.
Slippery Rock got on the board early on a goal from its captain,
Kenton Keeslar. Keeslar dribbled the ball into the box and beat East Stroudsburg's keeper, Will Boerema for his first goal of 2018.
In the closing minutes of the first period, ESU's Anton Lysell fired a shot that nearly tied the game, but Rock goalkeeper,
Matt Hunsberger made a solid save.
Five minutes and eight seconds into the second half, The Warriors' Erik Cardoso scored off a pass from Eddy Enowbi to tie the game, 1-1.
SRU almost answered back at 52:09 when
Hayden Seifert fired a shot on frame, but Boerema made the stop.
At 84:35, following a foul in the box committed by The Rock, East Stroudsburg's Jo Panuccio scored on a penalty kick to give ESU a 2-1 advantage.
Moments later, at 86:19,
Anthony Werth just barely missed tying the game for The Rock when he fired a shot on net, but it was met by a wall of ESU defenders to make the stop.
The Rock's last chance was with 25 seconds remaining in the contest when
Luke Picchi played a header on frame, but Boerema saved it. ESU held on for the win, 2-1.
Picchi, Seifert, Werth and
Alexander Vilchek recorded shots on goal for SRU and Hunsberger registered four saves in the loss.
With the loss, Slippery Rock falls to 3-5-2 on the season and 1-2-1 in league games while East Stroudsburg improves to 6-3-0 overall and 3-2-0 in PSAC play.
Final: Slippery Rock 1, East Stroudsburg 2
Slippery Rock (3-5-2, 1-2-1 PSAC) at East Stroudsburg (6-3-0, 3-2-0 PSAC)
September 29, 2018
James Egli Field | Slippery Rock, Pa.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
GOAL: ROCK 1, ESU 0; 7:34: Keeslar dribbled into the center of the box and put the shot past the keeper in the net.
GOAL: ROCK 1, ESU 1; 50:08: Cardoso headed a ball into the net off a corner from Enowbi
GOAL: ROCK 1, ESU 2; 84:35: Panuccio scored on a penalty kick.
GAME NOTES
- Slippery Rock and East Stroudsburg tied in shots on goal, 6-6.
- SRU recorded a .667 shot on goal percentage for the second time this season and that is tied for the second highest shot on goal percentage its posted in a game thus far.
- Keeslar's goal was the fourth of his career and first of the season. He has now tallied one score in all four seasons he has played as a defender.
- The Rock now have seven different goal scorers this season on the roster including Picchi, Seifert, Keeslar, Cory Olix, Justin Minda, Omar Bangura and George Oakley.
- ESU is now 24-10-1 all-time against SRU. It's the first time since 2007 that The Rock have lost consecutive matchups against the Warriors.
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock will continue PSAC play with a home contest against Pitt-Johnstown 1 p.m. Wednesday.
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