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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University field hockey team will close out its season-opening three-game homestand 11 a.m. Saturday when it hosts Belmont Abbey College at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
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.
 
WATCH ON YOUR TV - "ROCK ATHLETICS DIGITAL NETWORK" APPS
• Fans can watch Saturday's game live and on-demand for free on the Rock Athletics Digital Network, created and operated by the SRU athletic communication office.
 
• Search for Rock Athletics Digital Network in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple RV, Roku and Android TV devices. The streaming web player linked above will also integrate with Chrome Cast devices to allow viewers to cast the game to those devices.
 
ALUMNI DAY
Saturday is Alumni Day at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium as The Rock welcomes back all former field hockey players to the game followed by a team-sponsored tailgate party later in the day prior to the SRU-ESU football game.
 
Former Slippery Rock field hockey student-athlete, and the winningest coach in program history, Jan Kasnevich will represent the alumni by taking part in a ceremonial pass back prior to the game.
 
GAME 3 DETAILS
Opponent: Belmont Abbey
Date: Saturday, Sept. 11 – 11 a.m.
Location: Mihalik-Thompson Stadium
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Rock leads 1-0
Last Played: Sept. 8, 2018 (SRU won 2-1)
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Saturday's game will be just the second between The Rock and Crusaders. Slippery Rock won the first meeting between the two schools at home during the 2018 season in a neutral site game that was played in Richmond, Virginia.
 
LAST MEETING
SRU overcame an early second-half deficit to defeat Belmont Abbey, 2-1, on Sept. 8, 2018. Hannah Downing tied the game on a penalty stroke before Kayla Ulrich converted the game-winning goal off of a Brenna McGovern-Lind assist with eight minutes left in regulation to secure the win. Maddie Murphy made three saves to lead SRU's defensive efforts.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 1-1
Home Record: 1-1
Away Record: 0-0
Streak: W1
Head Coach: Rayell Heistand | Second Year at SRU (1-1)
 
LAST TIME OUT
Jessie Trube scored two goals and Grace Burker made seven saves to help lead The Rock to a 2-1 victory over Queens College on Sept. 5
 
BURKER EARNS WEEKLY HONOR
Burker was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Defensive Athlete of the Week after making 14 saves and recording a .778 save percentage in her first two collegiate games last week. Burker is the first Rock athlete to be named a PSAC Athlete of the Week since Megan McKay in 2015.
 
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST FOR TRUBE
Trube's two-goal outing against Queens was the third multi-score game of her career. Trube, who finished the contest with a game-high six shots, five of which were on goal, now has 15 goals in her career which is tied for 15th on The Rock's career goals ledger with Kelsey Gustafson (2011-14). Through two games, Trube leads The Rock in both total shots (10) and shots on goal (six) in addition to her team-high two goals.
 
ROLAND CONTINUES FIRST-YEAR TREND
Erin Roland's goal in The Rock's season-opener against Lindenwood on Sept. 2 continued a recent trend of first-year SRU athletes scoring goals in their first collegiate games. In four of the last five seasons, a Slippery Rock player making their debut has scored a goal in SRU's season-opener. While technically a sophomore, Roland's freshman season was canceled a yaer ago.
 
Roland joins a list of five other Rock rookies to score goals in their first game over the last five seasons. While no one accomplished the feat in 2019, Jessie Trube and Lauren Marks did so in 2018 proceeded by Kayla Ulrich (2017), Allison Martin (2017) and Jordan Barnes (2016).

LENDING A HELPING HAND
Two of The Rock's three goals this season have come off of assists as Jordyn Isner set up Roland's goal and Holly Stiller played a perfect pass into Trube for what resulted in her first goal against Queens.
 
ROUNDING OUT THE ATTACK
In addition to the aforementioned Rock standouts, Bailee Christman (3), Katelyn Sparks (3) and Kayla Del Vecchio (2) all have multiple shots on goal as well with Samantha Karmonick also placing one attempt on target.
 
ROUNDING OUT THE ATTACK
A win over Belmont Abbey would give Slippery Rock at least two wins in its first three games for the eighth time in the last nine seasons of competition.
 
COMING OUT OF HALFTIME STRONG
All three of Slippery Rock's goals this season have occurred in the second half of games.
 
HEISTAND APPROACHING HISTORY
A victory against Belmont Abbey would also make Slippery Rock head coach Rayell Heistand the quickest coach in program history to two wins at SRU. Kasnevich (1985), Catriona Higgs (1989) and Tricia Sterling (1998) currently hold the record as all three coaches earned their second victories at The Rock in the fourth game of their respective seasons.
 
The record for wins by a first-year head coach at Slippery Rock is eight by Sterling in 1998.
 
ROCK SOLID vs. NON-PSAC SCHOOLS
Dating back to the 2010 season, Slippery Rock holds a commanding 27-12 (.692) record against non-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams.
 
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
45 of The Rock's 69 wins (65.2 percent) over the last decade have come at the friendly confines of Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Slippery Rock is a healthy 14-8 (.636) when hosting teams that compete outside of the PSAC over the same stretch.
 
NEXT FIVE GAMES
Sept. 15 (5 p.m.) at Frostburg State
Sept. 18 (Noon) at Seton Hill
Sept. 19 (2 p.m.) vs. Indiana (Pa.) (International Students Day)
Sept. 25 (12 p.m.) vs. West Chester (Mental Health Awareness Day)
Sept. 25 (7 p.m.) at Indiana (Pa.)
 
THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
• Sept. 6, 2008 - Lisa Belcastro records a program record 20 saves vs. Indiana (Pa.).
 
• Sept. 8, 2019 - Kayla Ulrich scores goal 46 seconds into regulation vs. Mansfield for quickest goal in program history.
 
• Sept. 10, 2019 - Jessie Trube sets program record vs. Frostubrg State for most points (9) and goals (4) in a game.
 
BELMONT ABBEY PRIMER
Overall Record: 1-0
Home Record: 1-0
Away Record: 0-0
Neutral Record: 0-0
Streak: W1
Head Coach: Meghan Smiga | Second Year at BA (3-4)
 
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Prior to Saturday's game, Belmont Abbey will play at Mercyhurst Friday. The Crusaders heads into its road match at Mercyhurst with a 1-0 record following a season-opening 3-1 win against Converse College on Sept. 7. 

Gianna Conti recorded a hat trick as part of Belmont Abbey's 3-1 season-opening victory over Converse College on Tuesday. Isabella Grasso and Jessica Rybicki assisted on two of the goals while goalkeeper Chloe Parker stopped eight shots with one goal allowed.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock will hit the road for the first time this season when it plays a non-conference game at 5 p.m. Sept. 15 at Frostburg State University. SRU defeated Frostburg State twice during the 2019 season with a combined score of 11-0.



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