SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Mansfield University scored two goals in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter to earn a 2-1 non-conference victory against the Slippery Rock University field hockey team Wednesday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
Slippery Rock (1-4) led for the majority of the game, but a late onslaught by the Mountaineers (4-1) proved to be too much for SRU to overcome in the home defeat.
 
Things looked promising for The Rock early on as SRU struck quickly to open the game when Kayla Ulrich scored on an assist from Courtney Page just 46 seconds into the first quarter to give Slippery Rock a 1-0 lead.
 
The Rock's defense took control for the next 57 minutes by successfully fending off nine Mansfield shots, five of which were on target, and clearing five Mountaineer penalty corners.
 
However, Mansfield finally broke through Slippery Rock's defense in the game's waning moments. Dana Evans, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's leading scorer, tied the game with her ninth goal of the year with just 2:27 to play in regulation.
 
The 1-1 tie was short-lived as Larissa Motts promptly scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal just 27 seconds later to give Mansfield a 2-1 lead it would never relinquish en route to the one-goal victory.
 
Slippery Rock finished the game with advantages in total shots (12-11) and shots on goal (10-7) while Mansfield ended the contest with a narrow advantage in penalty corners (6-5).
 
Ulrich's goal was her team-leading fourth of the season while Page's assist was her second of 2019.
 
Page, who ended the game with a team-high three shots on goal, has assisted on two of Ulrich's four goals this year. Ulrich, Jessie Trube and Emily Polakovsky recorded two shots on goal each while Abby McKay rounded out the attack with one attempt on target as well.
 
Goalkeeper Maddie Murphy played all 60 minutes for The Rock on Wednesday and made five saves.
 
Slippery Rock continues its five-game homestand 1 p.m. Sunday against Coker College at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
NOTES
-Ulrich continues to climb The Rock's record books with each passing game. With her goal on Wednesday, Ulrich is now tied with Marlene Hall (1985-88) for second in program history for points in a career with 51 while also ranking third all-time in goals at SRU with 23.
 
-The Rock's goal on Wednesday was the quickest score by an SRU team to start a game in program history. The previous record came in 2004 when Lisa Gehn scored a goal 60 seconds in an eventual 3-1 victory against Washington & Jefferson.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Quarter (0:46) - ROCK 1, MU 0 – Kayla Ulrich (Courtney Page)
4th Quarter (57:33) - ROCK 1, MU 1 – Dana Evans (Kalin Duke)
4th Quarter (58:27) - MU 2, ROCK 1 – Larissa Motts (Mikaila Chakon)
 
 
 
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