SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team claimed its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament title since the 2012 season in a 2-1 victory over Edinboro University Sunday afternoon at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
With the win, Slippery Rock improves to 18-3-0 overall, setting a new program record for wins in a single-season. With the loss, Edinboro falls to 12-6-3.
 
As PSAC champions, SRU earns an automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Division ll Tournament with the first two rounds set to take place this coming week. The NCAA Tournament appearance is the first for Slippery Rock since the 2013 season.

Sofia Harrison and Kayla Swope both scored goals for The Rock Sunday while PSAC Tournament MVP Emma Yoder made five saves, one of which came on an Edinboro penalty kick late in the game. 
 
SRU opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Harrison looped a shot from 25 yards out that went over the head of Edinboro goalkeeper Anna Voelker and into the goal for her seventh score of the season to give The Rock an early 1-0 advantage.
 
The Slippery Rock defense turned in a stout performance following the score, turning away six shots by EU to maintain its 1-0 lead heading into halftime. Edinboro settled in defensively to start the second half, allowing only two Rock shots through the first 30 minutes of the half.
 
The Fighting Scot offense responded to the effort of its defense by tying the game at 1-1 in the 72nd minute when Danielle Chatten sent a low line drive shot to the back-left corner of the goal for the equalizer. 
 
Undetterd, Slippery Rock struck back three minutes later when Georgia Nagucki sent a perfect free kick into the center of the box that was headed home by Swope to give The Rock a 2-1 lead with 12 minutes to play in regulation.
 
Edinboro nearly once again tied the contest when the Fighting Scots were awarded a penalty kick that was taken by Sidney Dobbins with 11:40 remaining in regulation. However, Yoder made what was perhaps her most important save of the season with a diving stop to the right that maintained The Rock's one-goal advantage. 
 
Yoder also stopped a lined shot by Chatten in the 86th minute in what turned out to be Edinboro's last true scoring chance as Slippery Rock closed out its 2-1 PSAC Championship victory. 
 
Yoder earned PSAC Tournament MVP honors after making 13 saves and allowing just two goals throughout The Rock's tournament run. 
 
Swope led The Rock offense with three shots while Harrison and Rachel Edge were second with two shots on goal. Miranda Gallucci, Jordyn Minda, Brooke Riefenstahl and Tyler Spence rounded out the offense for SRU with one shot apiece.
 
Chatten led the way for EU on offense with six total shots while Dobbins was second with two shots on goal.
 
Slippery Rock, which was ranked second in the Atlantic Region coming into the PSAC Tournament, will now wait for the NCAA Tournament field to be unveiled 6 p.m. Monday when it will learn its seed, opponent and first round location. 
 
GAME NOTES
• Slippery Rock now has four PSAC Tournament championships all-time, tied for second most in the history of the conference with West Chester University and Bloomsburg University.
 
• With two goals today, SRU has 56 goals scored this season, tied for second most in program history.
 
• The Rock has won three-straight postseason games for the first time since the 2012 season.
 
• The 2019 NCAA Tournament berth for Slippery Rock is the ninth in program history.

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