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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team will look to extend its winning streak to five-straight as it hosts Mercyhurst University for a key Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division matchup at James Egli Field 4 p.m. Wednesday. 

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MATCH 14 DETAILS
Opponent: Mercyhurst University
Date: Oct. 23 – 4 p.m.
Location: James Egli Field l Slippery Rock, Pa.
Watch: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Mercyhurst leads 14-11-2
Last Played: Sept. 21, 2019 (Slippery Rock won on the road in overtime, 2-1)
 
LAST MEETING
Slippery Rock defeated Mercyhurst on Sept. 21, 2-1. Mercyhurst opened the scoring when Alyssa Otto scored in the 52nd minute with Beata Sundling providing the assist, giving the Lakers the 1-0 advantage.
 
The Rock offense finally broke through the stout MU defense when Tyler Spence rocketed a shot from outside the box on a pass from Rachel Edge to tie the score at one apiece, sending the contest to overtime.
 
In the first overtime period, Edge played a pass from Julia Mascaro through the Laker defense and into the goal, securing the 2-1 road victory for Slippery Rock.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mercyhurst leads the all-time series 14-11-2 with SRU winning eight of the last 10 matchups with the Lakers. SRU has a 7-5-0 record at home all-time against Mercyhurst, outscoring MU 16-1 over the last five home games.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 11-2-0
PSAC West Record: 10-1-0
PSAC West Standings: First
Home Record: 5-1-0
Away Record: 6-1-0
Last Five Games: 4-1-0
Streak: W4
Head Coach: Jessica Griggs l Fifth Season at SRU (56-27-6)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
•  LAST TIME OUT – Slippery Rock recorded a 2-1 road victory over Seton Hill University. Katy Ericson opened the scoring for SRU with her first goal of 2019 in the 44th minute on a pass from Jordyn Minda to give The Rock a 1-0 advantage.
 
Minda, the reigning PSAC West Athlete of the Week, scored for the third-consecutive game in the 68th minute to give Slippery Rock a 2-0 lead with Miranda Gallucci providing the assist.
 
The Griffins added a late goal in the 78th minute from Italia Biondi, but the SRU defense settled in, not allowing a shot the rest of the way to secure the 2-1 road victory for Slippery Rock.
 
•  STANDINGS CHECK – Slippery Rock (30 points) maintained its one-point lead over Edinboro (29 points) with the 2-1 win over Seton Hill. Mercyhurst and Gannon are tied for third place with 16 points followed by IUP and Seton Hill who are tied for fourth place with 15 points each.
 
Pitt-Johnstown is in fifth place with nine points followed by California and Clarion who round out the division standings with six points each.
 
At the end of the season, the top-four teams based on point total in both the PSAC West and PSAC East qualify for the conference tournament.
 
•  KEEPER COUNT – Yoder, the reigning PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week, turned in another pair of solid performances in goal for SRU, recording a combined six saves and two goals allowed against Pitt-Johnstown and Seton Hill.

On the season, Yoder has a .850 save percentage along with a 0.68 goals against average and 51 saves. If her goals against average holds, Yoder would have the third-best single season GAA in program history. 
 
•  SCORING MACHINE – Slippery Rock has scored two or more goals in 10 of 13 games this season, the most through 13 games for an SRU women's soccer team since accomplishing the feat in 2007.
 
•  POW SWEEP – Yoder and Minda claimed PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week and PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors the league office announced Monday. The award marked the fifth of Yoder's career and the first for Minda.
 
Slippery Rock has swept the PSAC weekly honors three times this season in the weeks of Sept. 23rd, Sept. 30th and Oct. 21st.
 
•  MAKE ROOM FOR MINDA – Minda has scored a goal and recorded an assist in three straight games for SRU. On the season, Minda ranks first for SRU in game-winning goals with four along with second for Slippery Rock with seven goals, four assists, 18 points and 21 shots on goal.
 
•  PSAC LEADERS – Kayla Swope and Edge are tied for second in the PSAC in assists with six this season while Edge is tied for second in goals scored with 10 as well as points with 26 along with fourth in total shots (47) and tied for fourth in shots on goal (26).
   
Among PSAC goalkeepers, Yoder is tied for third in shutouts with five and ranks fourth in goals against average (.685) and save percentage (.850).
 
As a team, Slippery Rock leads the PSAC in scoring with 37 goals this season. The Rock defense has matched the effort of the offense allowing only nine goals in 2019, the fourth best mark in the conference. SRU has the third best scoring margin among conference leaders at +2.16 averaging 2.85 goals per game while allowing just 0.69 scores per contest.
 
•  HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE – SRU has a 5-1-0 record this season at home, outscoring opponents 23-3 in those contests. The 5-1-0 mark for The Rock marks the second-consecutive season Slippery Rock has recorded five wins through its first six home games.
 
Over the last five seasons under head coach Jessica Griggs, The Rock has a combined 30-12-2 record at home while outscoring opponents 82-29 over that span.
 
•  ROCK SOLID DEFENSE – With the 2-1 win over Seton Hill, Slippery Rock has allowed one goal or less in 12 of 13 contests this season. The Rock has held opponents to a combined nine goals on 60 shot on goal attempts (15 percent success rate).
 
•  AGAINST MERCYHURST – Spence leads the way for Slippery Rock against Mercyhurst with two goals scored in her career against the Lakers. Edge, Madison Johnson and Sofia Harrison round out the scoring for SRU against MU with one score each.
 
•  STREAKING – SRU has won four-straight games following a road loss to Edinboro on Oct. 2nd. Over that span, Slippery Rock has outscored opponents 14-2 including shutout victories over Gannon and Clarion.
 
Following a loss this season, Slippery Rock has a 11-0 record while scoring an average of 3.18 goals per game.
 
•  ON THE BOARD – Ericson scored her first career goal in the win over Seton Hill. The score marks the second consecutive contest Slippery Rock has had a player add their first career goal with Ashley Rea accomplishing the feat against Pitt-Johnstown.
 
•  ROUNDING OUT THE ATTACK – Swope ranks third for SRU in goals with five followed by Spence and Harrison with four. Shannon McIntyre sits in fifth with three goals and Georgia Nagucki has two scores this season. Ericson and Rea round out the scoring attack for Slippery Rock with one goal each.
 
Edge and Swope have guided The Rock offense with a team-high six assists followed by Minda and McIntyre who have four each. Spence has three assists for SRU while Miranda Gallucci, Kaitlyn Barackman and Brooke Riefenstahl all have two assists this season.
 
Harrison, Nagucki, Ericson, Megan Sikora, Julia Mascaro and Tatum Bradley round out the assist leaders for The Rock with one each.
 
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
•  Oct. 22, 2003 – Lauren Steele nets a hat trick against California (Pa.) at home. Steele ranks fourth all-time for SRU in career points per game (1.17), goals per game (0.46) and fifth in shots per game (2.29).
 
REMAINING SCHEDULE
Oct. 26 (1:30 p.m.) at Indiana (Pa.)
Oct. 30 (7 p.m.) at California (Pa.)
Nov. 2 (1 p.m.) vs Edinboro
Nov. 9 (2:30 p.m.) vs Gannon
 
MERCYHURST PRIMER
Overall Record: 6-4-2
PSAC West Record: 5-4-1
PSAC West Standings: Third
Home Record: 4-1-1
Away Record: 2-3-1
Last Five Games: 2-2-1
Streak: L1
Head Coach: Jon Arlet l Second Season at MU (23-39-4)
 
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
•  Last time out: Mercyhurst fell at home to rival Gannon, 3-1. Leah Bermudez opened the scoring for GU in the 46th minute when she netted her first goal of 2019 on a pass from Megan McCartney, giving the Golden Knights a 1-0 advantage.
 
Gannon extended its lead when Sarah Fails scored in the 53rd minute for her second goal of the season with Vanessa Coccurello providing the assist. Coccurello joined the scoring effort at the 80:11 mark to push the GU advantage to 3-0.
 
Mercyhurst added a late goal by Maya Bauer in the 86th minute, but it wouldn't be enough as Gannon secured the 3-1 road victory.
 
•  The Lakers are led on offense by Alyssa Otto who has a team-high seven goals and 16 points along with two assists. Maya Bauer ranks second for MU in goals with four followed by Laia Santos and Cristy Senskey with three scores each.
 
Taryn Baxter has guided the Mercyhurst offense with three assists while Beata Sundling, Sydney Snyder and Otto each have two assists on the season.
 
•  In goal for MU, Vilde Wold has a .848 save percentage along with a 0.80 goals against average and 56 saves.
 
•  As a team, Mercyhurst has allowed the fifth-fewest goals in the conference at 10 this season while scoring the seventh-most goals at 26 scores in 2019. The Lakers rank fifth among conference leaders in scoring margin at +1.34.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock hits the road for a PSAC Western Division matchup with Indiana (Pa.) 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The Rock defeated IUP at home earlier this season with a 3-1 home victory over the Crimson Hawks on Sept. 25. 
 
 
 
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