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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team will conclude its 2021 season this weekend with a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division match at No. 19 Gannon University 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live video and in-game statistics are being provided by the Gannon University Athletic Communication Department at the links below.
 
MATCH 18 DETAILS
Opponent: Gannon University
Date: Nov. 6 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: McConnell Family Stadium
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 23-17-2
Last Played: Oct. 6, 2021 (Gannon won, 1-0)
 
LAST MEETING
Slippery Rock fell, 1-0, to Gannon, which was ranked 17th in the nation at the time of the game, in a tightly contested PSAC West match Oct. 6 at James Egli Field.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Rock holds a sound 23-17-2 lead in the all-time series with Gannon dating back to 1968. Slippery Rock is 13-7 when playing in Erie and has won four of the last six matchups when traveling to face the Golden Knights.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 6-9-2
PSAC West Record: 3-6-0
PSAC West Standings: Fifth
Home Record: 3-4-2
Away Record: 3-5-0
Streak: W1
Last Five Matches: 1-4
Head Coach: Kevin Wilhelm | Fourth year at SRU (20-29-6)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
LAST TIME OUT: Slippery Rock defeated the University of Pitt-Johnstown, 4-1, to finish the home portion of its season Nov. 3 at James Egli Field.
 
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: Saturday's game will mark the third time this season in which The Rock has played a ranked team; SRU earned a 1-1 tie against No. 25 Lake Erie on Sept. 2 and lost 1-0 to No. 17 Gannon on Oct. 6. The Rock's last win against a ranked team came Nov. 8, 2015 when it downed No. 21 Millersville in the PSAC Tournament Championship.
 
SUCCESS IN THE SECOND HALF: The Rock has found success in the second half of play scoring 15 of its 26 goals in the final 45 minutes this year.
 
AGAINST GANNON: In previous matchups with the Golden Knights, Brian McCarthy has been able to collect an assist. Goalkeepers Hossam Aly made five saves against the nationally ranked Golden Knights earlier in the season and allowed one goal. In 40 minutes against Gannon as a freshman in 2019, Derek Hoffman made 4 saves while allowing a single goal.
 
THE CORNER TRIO: Mo Kanani has posted four of his six goals this season as conversions off corner kicks. Two have been off the foot of McCarthy while the other two came from Joe Skillicorn.
 
FRESHMAN FIRST: Anthony Gagliardi II, who leads SRU in assists as a rookie (6), tallied his first collegiate goal in The Rocks 4-1 victory over Pitt-Johnstown.
 
FRESHMAN FACILITATOR: Joe Skillicorn has collected his three assists on the with two of those assists coming in The Rocks 4-1 victory over UPJ.  
 
ARTURO BACK IN ACTION: After scoring in two consecutive games against Shippensburg and Pitt-Johnstown earlier this season, Arturo Pla Hernandis has snapped a five game scoreless streak scoring his fourth goal of the season.
 
ON THE ATTACK: Leading the way in points for The Slippery Rock offensive entering its final match of the season is Kanani with 12 points on six goals. He is followed by Alejandro Fernandez (4 goals, 3 assists) with 11 points as well as Pla Hernandis and Ramses Minaya with 10 points on four goals and two assists each.
 
Next is Gagliardi II (8 points, 1 goal, 6 assists), as well as Alex Plimmer (2 goals) Joey Moeller (2 goals) and McCarthy (4 assists) with four points each.
 
SRU points scorers are rounded out by Skillicorn (3 points, 3 assists), Harry Griffin, Luke Gildea, and Dan Schearer all with two points on one goal as well as Samuel Hillman with one point on an assist.
 
KEEPER COUNT: All three Slippery Rock goalkeepers have now seen time in goal for The Rock this year. On the season,
 
Aly has started 13 matches and is 4-6-2 having made 48 saves with a .716 save percentage and 1.49 goals against average. He ranks third in the PSAC West in save percentage and saves as well as fourth in the division in GAA and shutouts.
 
In five matches, Hoffman is 1-3 and has made 12 saves with a .632 save percentage and a 1.80 GAA.
 
Duncan McCoy made his collegiate debut against Pitt-Johnstown. In 8:10, McCoy made two saves and allowed no goals.
 
DEFENSIVE STAND: The Slippery Rock defense has put up a solid effort through 17 matches. In the PSAC West SRU ranks fourth in opponent scoring average 1.59 as well as goals against having only allowed 27 goals. Overall, The Rock has limited opponents to one goal or less in nine of its 17 games this season.
 
SHOOTING FOR THE STARS: Shot leaders for The Rock entering the final match include Pla Hernandis (32 total / 13 on goal), Fernandez (26 total / 14 on goal), Plimmer (21 total / 7 on goal), Moeller (20 total / 12 on goal), Griffin (19 total / 13 on goal), Minaya (18 total / 8 on goal), Gagliardi II (18 total / 10 on goal), Kanani (14 total / 10 on goal) and McCarthy (11 total / 3 on goal).
 
CONSISTENT STARTS: Three Slippery Rock players earned a start in all 17 matches of the season in freshman Gagliardi II, sophomore Pla Hernandis and junior Hillman. Gagliardi II is the first freshman to start in every match in a year dating back to 2018 when Alexander Vilchek did so.
 
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
Nov. 1, 1978 - SRU records second highest goal total in program history in 15-0 win vs. Youngstown State.
Nov. 1, 1986 - Jim Egli Wins 250th and final game in season finale vs. Frostburg State.
Nov. 6, 2005 - SRU captures PSAC Championship in 2-1 win over #25 California (Pa.).
 
GANNON PRIMER
Overall Record: 13-2-2
USC Top-25: 19th
PSAC West Record: 6-1-2
PSAC West Standings: First
Home Record: 6-1-0
Away Record: 7-1-2
Streak: L1
Last Five Matches: 3-1-1
Head Coach: Billy Colton | Third year at GU (34-9-2)
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Last time out: Gannon was edged, 2-0, by PSAC West rival Mercyhurst at home Nov. 3.
 
The Golden Knight offense is led by the duo of Sergio Del Castillo with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists and Tinashe Katsande with 22 points on 10 goals and 2 assists. The pair are tied for third in the PSAC West in goals.
 
Joe Knox scored Gannon's lone goal in their previous meeting with The Rock earlier this season.
 
Goalkeeper Maxamiliano Rocco has made 68 saves to go with a .861 save percentage and 0.79 GAA. Rocco currently leads the division in all three categories mentioned.
 


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