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SLIPPERY ROCK Pa. – The Slippery Rock women's soccer team will look to lock up a home game in the first round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament with a win 1 p.m. Saturday at Gannon.
 
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 – 1 p.m.
Location: McConnell Family Stadium
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 14-11-1
Last Played: Oct. 6, 2021 (Rock won, 3-0)
 
LAST MEETING
Slippery Rock defeated Gannon earlier this season on Oct. 6 in a 3-0 victory with Georgia Nagucki scoring a pair of goals and Jordyn Minda tallying a goal of her own.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Rock holds a 14-11-1 lead over the Golden Knights dating back to 1996. The last three meetings between the teams resulted in shutout victories for SRU.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 12-3-2
PSAC West Record: 11-3-1
PSAC Standings: Second
Home Record: 7-1-1
Away Record: 5-2-1
Last Five Matches: 4-1
Streak: W3
Head Coach: Jessica Giegucz | Seventh year at SRU (76-33-8)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
LAST TIME OUT: Slippery Rock posted a convincing 5-0 win on the road at Edinboro University Oct. 30 with goals by Rachel Edge (2), Katy Ericson (1), Ashley Rea (1) and Kayla Swope (1) as well as Edge and Sydney Patrick with an assist each.
 
REGIONAL RANKINGS: Slippery Rock remained ranked eighth in the Atlantic Region by the NCAA Division ll Women's Soccer Committee in the second set of NCAA regional rankings released earlier this week.
 
The regional rankings are the only official ranking used by the NCAA to determine which teams from each of the eight regions will qualify for the 56-team NCAA Division ll playoffs.
 
The top seven teams in the Atlantic Region in the final set of rankings will earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The tournament champions from the PSAC and the Mountain East Conference will both earn automatic bids with the five at-large bids from the region being determined by the rankings.
 
PSAC TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK: The top four teams in the Western and Eastern Division standings at the end of the regular season qualify for the PSAC Tournament. Heading into the last regular season match, Slippery Rock has already clinched a spot in the PSAC Tournament.
 
With one game left in the year, Slippery Rock has a chance to repeat as PSAC West champions, finish second in the standings and host an opening round tournament game or finish as the third seed in the PSAC West and be on the road for its opening-round contest.
 
Slippery Rock has qualified for the PSAC Tournament in each of the last 10 seasons and 17 of the last 20 years dating back to the 2000 season. Most recently SRU hosted all three rounds of the 2019 Championship. 
 
SRU WINS THE PSAC WEST OUTRIGHT IF
Slippery Rock can repeat as PSAC West champions outright with a win against Gannon as well as a loss or tie by Mercyhurst against Cal U.
 
SRU SHARES THE PSAC WEST CHAMPIONSHIP IF
If Slippery Rock beats Gannon and Mercyhurst beats Cal U, The Rock and Lakers would share PSAC West championship honors. However, Mercyhurst would enter the PSAC Tournament as the top seed due to beating The Rock twice in the regular season.
 
SRU would also be the second seed in the PSAC West, and earn a home first round game in the conference tournament, if it ties Gannon and Mercyhurst loses to Cal U.
 
SRU FINISHES THIRD IN THE WEST IF
Slippery Rock will have to settle for being the third seed out of the PSAC West if it loses Gannon or if The Rock ties Gannon combined with a Mercyhurst tie or victory against Cal U.
 
ROAD WARRIORS: The Rock has posted strong efforts through its eight road matches this season outscoring it opponents 19-7. Of its five road wins, four have been shutouts and three were at least two-goals victories.
 
EDGING THE COMPETITION: Edge, the reigning PSAC West Athlete of the week, continues her stellar season excelling in the conference, and SRU history. Entering her final regular season game, Edge leads the PSAC in points (33) and goals (13) and lands second in assists (7).
 
With her five points on two goals and one assist against Edinboro, Edge moved to fourth in The Rock's record book for career points (80) and fifth in assists (22) while remaining sixth in goals (29).
 
Edge's goals at Edinboro marked her third consecutive game scoring a goal as well as the fourth of the last five matches that she has posted a goal for SRU.
 
MIGHTY MINDA: Senior midfielder Minda has made 58 consecutive starts during her time at The Rock. A start Saturday would move Minda tied for fourth in the SRU Career Starts list with Elise Forry (2017-19) and Kelley Blake (2003-06).
 
OFFENSIVE PACKAGE: The Rock's offense onslaught has outscored their opponents 47-14 this season and consists of 11 different players who have scored at least one goal through 17 matches in Edge (11), Minda (7), Swope (6), Nagucki (5), Patrick (5), Rea (3), Megan Sikora (2), Ericson (1), Faith Diffenbacher (1), Julia Mascaro (1) and Olivia Yoder (1).
 
Along with goal scorers are a group of 12 players who have had a hand in setting up a goal with at least one assist: Edge (7), Swope (5), Minda (4), Patrick (4), Mascaro (3), Nagucki (3), Sikora (3), Ericson (2), Nina King (2), Emily Arnold (1), Maddie DeLucio (1) and Reagan Reeves (1) with one each.
 
DOMINANT DEFENSE: The Slippery Rock defense remains a tough unit that has held its opponents to under one goal a game (0.78) and just 65 shots on goal. Opponents have scored multiple goals against SRU just three times this season. Across program history, Rock teams have finished a season allowing three multi-goal games or less four times: 2013 (1), 2005 (2), 2011 (3) and 2002 (3).
 
SRU's defense is led by recent PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week Emma Yoder, who on the season has made 49 saves to go along with a .778 save percentage and a 0.80 goals against average. She currently ranks third in the PSAC West in GAA and third overall in the PSAC in shutouts (7).
 
In the SRU career record book, Yoder sits fourth in shutouts (18) while landing sixth in saves (161) and holding third place in wins (32).
 
ON THE NATIONAL STAGE: As a team, SRU ranks 16th in Division II in goals (47) while landing 17th in points (129) and assists (35). Individually, Edge ranks 13th in goals as well as 14th in points.
 
SUCCESS IN THE SECOND HALF: The Slippery Rock offense has posted solid second half performances though 17 matches, having scored almost half of its goals (31). The Rock defense has proved just as tough, holding its opponents to just two total goals in the second period.
 
AGAINST GANNON: In previous meetings with Gannon a multitude of players have found success. Sikora tallied a pair of goals while Swope has netted a goal and dished out a pair of assists. Minda and Edge have both scored a goal and produced an assist on the Golden Knights. Rounding out the scoring efforts is Patrick with one goal and Ericson with an assist. Yoder has earned three wins over Gannon, making 16 saves and allowing no goals.
 
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
Nov. 4, 2012 - SRU upsets #16 California (Pa.) 3-0 on the road to capture PSAC Championship.
Nov. 6, 2005 - SRU defeats Kutztown 1-0 to capture PSAC Championship.
Nov. 6, 2013 - Andrea Felix (Freshmen of the Year) and Lauren Impey (Defender of the Year) earn PSAC West individual honors.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Nov. 9 (TBD) PSAC Tournament First Round
 
GANNON PRIMER
Overall Record: 11-2-2
PSAC West Record: 11-2-2
PSAC West Standings: First
Home Record: 4-1-2
Away Record: 7-1-0
Last Five Matches: 5-0
Streak: W7
Head Coach: Colin Petersen | 20th year (172-151-32)
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS:
Last time out: Gannon defeated Clarion University, 5-0, at home Nov. 3.
 
The Golden Knights are led offensively by Taylor Lewis with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists. Lewis currently ranks third in the PSAC West in points and goals.
 
Accompanying Lewis is the duo of Kayla Bevacqua and Sarah Fails who both have 11 points on four goals and three assists.
 
Goalkeeper Kennedy Solymosi has made 45 saves along with a .818 save percentage and 0.76 GAA.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock will play a first round PSAC Tournament contest Nov. 9 against an opponent yet to be determined at a location that is also yet to be decided.
 
 
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