SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team used a five-goal stretch over the course of just 1:15 in the second half to rally back for an 8-7 victory over Millersville University Sunday in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference game from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
Millersville (7-4, 5-2 PSAC) led 4-1 at halftime and scored just 59 seconds into the second half to increase the advantage to 5-1 with 29:01 to play. The Rock (4-6, 3-4 PSAC) flipped the script less than two minutes later when Hayley Pimentel scored off an assist from ShyAnne Toomer with 27:22 to play that ignited an offensive explosion.
 
Slippery Rock would scored again just 17 seconds later when Kelsey Thoensen found the back of the net to cut the deficit to 5-3 with 27:05 to play. Just 23 seconds after that tally, Emily Benham put home a free position attempt to make it 5-4 with 26:42 to play.
 
The Rock kept the pressure on and tied the game just 25 seconds after that when Sami Gentzler broke free and scored off a pass from Katie Dlugosz that made it 5-5 with 26:17 to play.
 
Toomer won the next draw control to herself and stormed down the field to score unassisted to give Slippery Rock a 6-5 lead with 26:07 to play, capping a 5-0 run that took just 1:15 off the game clock.
 
Millersville answered with a pair of goals at 18:22 and 16:05 to retake a 7-6 lead, but would be held scoreless the rest of the way. Benham tallied her second of the game to tie it at 7-7 with 12:32 to play and Toomer put home the game-winner off a pass from Dlugosz with 7:57 to play to account for the final score.
 
The Marauders got two possessions in the offensive end of the field in the final two minutes, but turned it over both times without getting a shot away.
 
Both teams put up similar numbers in nearly every statistical category in the game, including each firing a total of 23 shots. Slippery Rock posted small advantages of 10-7 in draw controls and 29-26 in ground balls and both teams turned the ball over 27 times.
 
The biggest difference in the box score was Millersville being held to just three free position goals in 14 attempts. Rock goalie Hailey Barrett played a strong game from start to finish and ended the day with 11 saves, three ground balls and no turnovers.
 
Toomer paced the attack for SRU with three points on two goals and one assist. Benham added two goals, both in the second half, and Dlugosz handed out two assists to cap the multi-point scorers.
 
Pimentel, Gentzler, Thoensen and Francesca Lindelow each scored one goal to cap the point scorers.
 
Millersville was led by Genevieve Speights with one goal and two assists and Gillian Zimmerman with two goals. Shannon Davis took the loss in goal after recording eight saves.
 
Slippery Rock improved to 4-1 at home with the win and will have the chance even its PSAC record when Edinboro University visits Wednesday afternoon for a 4 p.m. first draw.


 
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