SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Katelyn Sparks and Jordyn Isner scored second-half goals to lead the Slippery Rock University field hockey team to a 2-1 comeback win over Mansfield University in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference competition Wednesday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
Slippery Rock improves to 4-6 on the season overall and 1-3 in league games with the win while Mansfield drops to 5-6 overall and 1-3 in the PSAC following the loss.
 
Sparks' goal was her third of the season, the second highest total by a Rock player so far in 2021, while Isner's score marked her second of the season and the first game-winning goal of her career. With the goal, Isner moves into second place for The Rock this season in total points with eight.
 
Samantha Karmonick set up Isner's goal for what was her second assist of the season.
 
Defensively, goalkeeper Grace Burker made three saves and Addy Ross collected a defensive save to preserve the victory. With the win, Burker moves into a tie for fifth place in program history for victories by a freshman goalkeeper.
 
Courtesy of Kenedy Stroup's goal in the fourth minute of the game, Mansfield carried a one-goal lead into the third quarter before The Rock began to mount their comeback.
 
SRU tied the game just 61 seconds into the second half when Sparks took a pass and proceeded to split a myriad of defenders over a 30-yard run before firing off a well-placed shot by Mountaineer goalkeeper August Lewis to make it a 1-1 contest at 31:01.
 
Following Sparks' goal, SRU's defense proceeded to clear one Mansfield corner while Burker stopped a pair of shots to maintain the tie heading into the final stages of the third quarter.
 
SRU earned a penalty corner in the waning moments of the third quarter that proved to be the difference in the game. Isner played the corner into Ross, who fired a shot that was saved by Lewis. Karmonick then gathered the rebound and proceeded to slip a pass back to Isner who in turn flipped a shot by Leiws to give The Rock a 2-1 lead going into the final 15 minutes of regulation.
 
Slippery Rock went on to close out the victory by clearing a pair of corners and ultimately holding Mansfield without a shot for the entirety of the fourth quarter en route to the win.
 
Isneer concluded the game with three shots. Ross added a pair of attempts while Sparks, Jessie Trube and Kayla Del Vecchio all posted one attempt apiece.
 
For the game, Mansfield held narrow advantages over The Rock in total shots (9-8), shots on goal (5-4) and penalty corners (5-4).
 
Slippery Rock will look to carry over the momentum from Wednesday's game when it opens a three-game road trip 11 a.m. Saturday at No. 6 East Stroudsburg University.
 
 


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