SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team picked up its 12th straight season-opening victory with a 16-9 win over Tiffin University in a non-conference game Wednesday evening at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The Rock, who were playing for the first time in a stretch of 364 days, open the season 1-0 for the 12th straight year, extending a streak that began in 2010. Tiffin dropped to 0-4 with the loss.
 
Slippery Rock scored the first three goals of the game, which included a highlight-reel goal from Katie Dlugosz, and never trailed in the game. The Rock built a 6-1 lead at halftime and increased the advantage out to 8-1 with 25:44 to play.
 

LAX: What. A Goal. It didn't take long into the 2021 season for Slippery Rock to score an #SCTop10 worthy goal. Check out this behind the head finish from Katie Dlugosz off the assist from Jamie DiCarlo that gave The Rock a 2-0 lead over Tiffin. @SportsCenter @ESPNAssignDesk pic.twitter.com/E67A6e5qdm

— Rock Athletics (@Rock_Athletics) March 10, 2021

 
The Dragons put together an impressive rally to battle back into the game, scoring four straight goals in a stretch of five minutes and putting together a 7-1 run to cut the deficit to 9-8 with 11:30 to play.
 
Charleigh Rondeau scored on a free-position attempt with 10:55 to play to stop the Tiffin run and swing momentum back to the hosts. SRU closed the final 11 minutes with a 7-1 run to put the game out of reach.
 
Slippery Rock posted advantages of 34-21 in total shots, 25-18 in ground balls and 14-13 in draw controls. The Rock were 16-of-22 on clear attempts and held Tiffin to 14-of-21 on the clear.
 
Freshman Gillian O'Rourke made her first collegiate start in goal and set the tone for SRU early, recording nine saves in the first half to help The Rock jump out to a 6-1 halftime lead. She finished the night with 10 saves to pick up her first win.
 
Her counterpart, Jenay Rennie, took the loss for Tiffin after recording 15 saves.
 
The Rock attack was paced by Hayley Pimentel with five points on four goals and one assist. Emily Benham added a hat trick and one assist and Francesca Lindelow also tallied a hat trick.
 
Dlugosz finished with two goals and one assist and Jamie DiCarlo scored one goal and handed out two assists. Rondeau finished with two goals to cap the multiple-point scorers. Molly Buettner dished out one assist and the scoring was capped by senior defender Katie Hart, who scored her first career goal in her 39th career game on a free-position attempt with 28 seconds to play. Rachel Shaw led the defensive effort with three caused turnovers.
 
Tiffin was paced by Elle Hamilton with a game-high six points on three goals and three assists. Daniela Carey added four goals.
 
Wednesday's game marked the only non-conference game on the schedule this season for Slippery Rock, which will open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division play Sunday with a noon game at Indiana University (Pa.).
 
 

To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on Twitter (@Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics), Instagram (RockAthletics) and Snapchat (@RockAthletics).