SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Tyler Spence scored the game-winning goal with one-minute remaining in regulation to beat Edinboro University, 3-2, and clinch the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division regular season title.
 
With the win, Slippery Rock improves to 14-3-0 overall with a 13-2-0 record in the PSAC Western Division. Edinboro falls to 9-4-3 overall with a 9-2-3 mark in division play. As the PSAC West champions, Slippery Rock has earned the right to host the semifinal and final rounds of the upcoming PSAC Tournament. 
 
The win marks the first game this season that The Rock has been down by at least two goals and still managed to earn a victory. The 2-0 lead for Edinboro at halftime was the largest deficit that SRU has faced at any point this season.
 
The victory comes on the heels of SRU being ranked third in the Atlantic Region in the first set of official NCAA regional rankings unveiled Wednesday by the NCAA Division ll Women's Soccer Committee.
 
The regional rankings are the only official ranking system used by the NCAA to determine which teams from each of the eight regions will qualify for the 56-team NCAA Division ll playoffs. The top six teams in the Atlantic Region in the final set of rankings will earn a berth to the NCAA tournament.
 
SRU is PSAC Western Division champions for the first time since winning the division in 2007. The conference switched from divisions to a single conference standings format following the 2009 season before returning to the division format this season.
 
Edinboro jumped on the SRU defense to open the contest, scoring in the 4th minute when Danielle Chatten played a deflection off a Slippery Rock defender into the goal for her sixth score of the season, giving EU the early 1-0 advantage.
 
The Fighting Scots took advantage of another lapse by the Slippery Rock defense, scoring again in the 20th minute when Rebecca Manns added her fourth goal of 2019 on a feed from Clare Crossley to give Edinboro the 2-0 lead.
 
The Rock defense would settle in following the two scores, allowing only one shot through the remainder of the first half. Slippery Rock forced 13 shots before halftime, but were unable to convert on several close chances due to seven saves by Edinboro goalkeeper Anna Voelker.
 
The second half opened with the Slippery Rock offense greatly pressuring the Edinboro defense with six shots and six corner kick attempts through the first 30 minutes of the half.
 
SRU converted on the seventh shot when Georgia Nagucki was granted a penalty kick chance after a handball on a shot in the box. Nagucki converted on the chance, cutting the Fighting Scot lead to 2-1 in the 71st minute.
 
The Slippery Rock offense struck again just over a minute later when Jordyn Minda found her way out of a scrum of defenders to line a shot off a pass from Spence into the goal for her eighth score of the season, tying the game a 2-2 in the 72nd minute.
 
The Rock continued to attack the Edinboro defense, adding another six shot attempts and five corner kicks following the score. The Fighting Scot defense stood the test and the contest seemed destined for overtime.
 
However, Spence played a pass from Rachel Edge through the EU defense and into the goal with one-minute remaining to give The Rock a 3-2 advantage at 89:00. The score was the senior's sixth of the season, extending her new career-high in goals.
 
The goal secured the 3-2 comeback victory and the PSAC West regular season title for The Rock, but not to be overlooked was the bounce-back effort from the SRU defense in the second half as it allowed only three total shots.

Slippery Rock goalkeeper Emma Yoder finished the afternoon with two saves and two goals allowed. Voelker added 11 saves with three goals allowed in the losing effort.
 
While holding the advantage over Edinboro in total shots (28-7), SRU also held the advantage in corner kick attempts (16-1).
 
Slippery Rock concludes the regular season when it welcomes Gannon University to Mihalik-Thompson Stadium 2:30 p.m. Nov. 9th.
 
GAME NOTES
• With 28 total shots against Edinboro, SRU has a 7-0-0 record when it records 20 or more shots in a game.

• The 3-2 win over EU marks the first time this season that Slippery Rock has allowed two goals and won.
 
• The game-winning goal for Spence is the third-lastest game-winning goal for SRU since 2003 (89:00).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GOAL: EU 1, ROCK 0 '4; Danielle Chatten (Unassisted)
GOAL: EU 2, ROCK 0 '20; Rebecca Manns (Clare Crossley)
GOAL: EU 2, ROCK 1 '71; Georgia Nagucki (Penalty Kick)
GOAL: ROCK 2, EU 2 '72; Jordyn Minda (Tyler Spence)
GOAL: ROCK 3, EU 2 '90; Tyler Spence (Rachel Edge)


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