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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team will open the 2021 season at James Egli Field with a non-conference contest against West Virginia Wesleyan College 4 p.m. Thursday.
 
COVID-19 FAN INFORMATION
• Fans should not attend any events if you are experiencing any symptoms or feeling ill.
• Masks are REQUIRED inside all buildings on the SRU campus, regardless of vaccination status.
• Fans are encouraged, but not currently required, to wear masks at SRU outdoor events.
• Fans are encouraged to social distance when possible at events.

LIVE COVERAGE
Live in-game statistics will be available for all home Slippery Rock soccer games HERE. 

MATCH DETAILS
Opponent: West Virginia Wesleyan
Date: Thursday, Sept. 2 – 4 p.m.
Location: James Egli Field
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Rock leads 8-5
Last Played: Sept. 8, 2019 Rock won, 2-1
 
LAST MEETING
SRU scored two goals in the last six minutes of regulation to defeat No. 16 West Virginia Wesleyan, 2-1. Rachel Edge scored on a Kaitlyn Barackman pass to tie the game while Jordyn Minda took a feed from Kayla Swope to post the game-winner for The Rock. Emma Yoder recorded seven saves while only allowing one goal.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Slippery Rock leads the all-time series against West Virginia Wesleyan, 8-5. The Rock hold a two-game winning streak and are 3-3 when playing at home against the Bobcats. SRU has been able to defeat three ranked West Virginia Wesleyan teams during the series in 1999, 2018 and 2019.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
2019 Overall Record: 18-4
2019 PSAC Record: 14-2
Postseason: PSAC Tournament champions, NCAA Tournament (First Round)
2019 Home Record: 11-2
2019 Away Record: 7-2
Last Five Games of 2019: 4-1
2021 Preseason Poll: Picked to win the PSAC West
Head Coach: Jessica Giegucz | Seventh Year at SRU (63-29-6)
 
Giegucz Approaching Game No. 100 at The Rock
Head coach Jessica Giegucz enters the 2021 season having coached 98 games at SRU. Following The Rock's first two games of the year, Giegucz will become the 25th women's soccer coach to have coached at least 100 games at a PSAC school in conference history.
 
Already with 63 victories and a .673 winning percentage at SRU, Giegucz approaches her 100th game in charge of The Rock women's soccer team finding herself ranked among some of the best coaches in league history in terms of victories and winning percentage through their first 100 games.
 
If SRU were to go 2-0 in its first two games of the season, Giegucz will have compiled the sixth most victories in the first 100 games by a coach, past or present, at a PSAC school in conference history in addition to holding the eighth highest winning percentage.
 
Current West Chester head coach Betty Ann Kempf Townsley won 75 of her first 100 games with the Golden Rams en route to a .825 winning percentage to rank first in both categories.
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
SEASON OPENERS: The Rock holds a 15-12 (.555) record in season openers since their inaugural season in 1993. SRU is 10-5 when hosting opening matches.
 
SUSTAINED SUCCESS: Slippery Rock is predicted to repeat as Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division champions in the 2021 Preseason Coaches Poll.

SRU earned the top spot in the Western Division with six first-place votes followed by Mercyhurst in second with two first-place votes and Gannon in third with one first-place vote. Edinboro landed fourth before Indiana (Pa.) in fifth and Pitt Johnstown in sixth. The divisional poll is rounded out by Seton Hill in seventh, California (Pa.) in eighth and Clarion in ninth.
 
REMARKABLE RESUME: SRU has emerged as one of the top programs in NCAA Division II history with 24 consecutive winning seasons, which is the fourth longest active streak in DII. SRU has tallied 22 straight years with at least 10 wins as well as eight NCAA tournament appearances, most recently coming off a 2019 PSAC championship.
 
RETURNING STARTERS: Slippery Rock returns five starters from its 2019 championship team including Edge and fellow All-PSAC honorees Minda, Swope, 2019 PSAC Tournament MVP Yoder and Brooke Riefenstahl.
 
SIZABLE SENIOR CLASS: The Rock returns an impressive 10-member senior class featuring Edge, Yoder, Minda, Emily Arnold, Katlynn Bradford, Katy Ericson, Georgia Nagucki, Tori Norton, Reagan Reeves and Megan Sikora.
 
TOP 3 SCORERS BACK: SRU will have the luxury of bringing back its top three scorers from the 2019 season as the trio of Edge (39 points, 15 goals, 9 assists), Swope (25 points, 8 goals, 9 assists) and Minda (21 points, 8 goals, 5 assists) all return.
 
ROCK SOLID DEFENSE: Slippery Rock ranked fifth in the PSAC in goals allowed in 2019 with 20 and ranked seventh in save percentage at .813. Yoder led the way finishing third in the PSAC in shutouts with eight in addition to holding a 0.90 goals against average and a .811 save percentage on 86 saves.
 
COMFORT IN EGLI FIELD: Since the reign of Giegucz began in 2015, SRU has recorded a 25-10-1 (.694) record at Egli Field, along with outscoring opponents 86-32 with 14 matches being shutouts.
 
NEXT FIVE GAMES
Sept. 5 (1:00 p.m.) at Fairmont State
Sept. 8 (1:00 p.m.) vs Clarion
Sept. 11 (12:00 p.m.) vs Pitt Johnstown
Sept. 15 (3:00 p.m.) at Seton Hill
Sept. 18 (12:00 p.m.) vs Mercyhurst
 
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
Aug. 30, 2018: SRU upset #22 West Virginia Wesleyan 1-0. Barackman scored the single goal in minute 10 while the Slippery Rock defense held off the Bobcats' attack thus leading to the victory.
 
Aug. 31, 2008: Allison Hindley scores four goals in season opener against Seton Hill making Hindley the fourth player in Rock women's soccer history to score four goals in a game.
 
Sept. 3, 1995: The Rock defeats Rochester 2-1 to tally coach Noreen Herlihy's first program win.
 
Sept. 3, 2011: Stephanie Buckenheimer records a hat trick against Seton Hill extending SRU's unbeaten streak to 16 matches.
 
WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN PRIMER
2020 Overall Record: 4-3-2
2020 MEC Record: 4-2-2
Postseason: MEC Tournament (First Round)
2020 Home Record: 3-1-0
2020 Away Record: 1-2-2
Last Five Games of 2020: 1-2-2
Preseason Poll: Third in MEC South
Head Coach: Richard Owens | Fourth season at WVWC (29-12-8)
 
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
West Virginia Wesleyan were picked to place third in the Mountain East Conference South Division for the 2021 season. The Bobcats finished a shortened 2020 season averaging 1.33 goals per game with 46 shots on goal over nine games.
 
The Bobcats top returning offensive threats include Kayla Fay and Natalie Pireu, who both recorded seven points on three goals and one assist over nine games a year ago. West Virginia Wesleyan also brings back five other players who scored one goal apiece during their spring season last year.
 
Guiding the defense will be starting goalkeeper Ally Moore. A season ago, Moore played 835:32 minutes of a possible 880:32 while producing a .806 save percentage and a 0.75 goals against average on the way to registering a 3-3-2 record.
 
UP NEXT
SRU hits the road for its first away match at Fairmont State 1 p.m. Sunday.



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