SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team dropped its first home game of the year with a 14-8 loss to Kutztown University Saturday in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The Rock led for much of the opening period before Kutztown put together a 4-0 run and closed the half on a 5-1 push to lead 7-4 at the break. The Golden Bears broke the game open with a 3-0 run early in the second half and SRU would never get the deficit back to under four goals.
 
Slippery Rock drops to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in PSAC games with the loss, while Kutztown improves to those same records at 2-4 overall and 1-2 in league action.
 
The Golden Bears finished the game with advantages of 27-22 in total shots, 20-14 in shots on goal and 30-21 in ground balls. Both teams pulled in 12 draw controls and the two teams combined for 55 total turnovers and 52 fouls. The Rock finished with 30 of those turnovers, which included nine failed clear attempts (13-of-22), and were whistled for 31 fouls. Kutztown turned it over 25 times, including eight failed clears (16-of-24), and was called for 21 fouls.
 
Slippery Rock's offensive attack was paced by ShyAnne Toomer, who scored a hat trick and added one assist to finish with four points. Toomer also led the SRU field players with three caused turnovers and four ground balls. Emily Benham was the only other Rock player to record multiple points on the day, finishing with one goal and one assist.
 
Molly Buettner, Hayley Pimentel, Tori Penders and Jordan Grey rounded out the goal scorers for Slipper Rock with one goal each and Kelly Muenster handed out one assist to cap the point scorers. Penders finished with a game-high five draw controls.
 
Danie Porath led the defense with three caused turnovers and Haley Barrett made six saves in goal.
 
Kutztown got six points from Cyla Cafferata with three goals and three assists and also got hat tricks from Makayla Bowman and Erin Vaughan Ware. Midfielder Devon Fitzpatrick was forced to play goalie for the first time in her collegiate career after KU goalie Haley Kline missed her second straight game with an injury. Fitzpatrick made six saves and allowed eight goals on the way to the win.
 
Saturday's loss snapped a streak of four straight wins for Slippery Rock in the series against Kutztown.
 
The Rock will now turn their focus to a third straight home game when Indiana University (Pa.) visits Wednesday for a 4 p.m. first draw.
 
 

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