SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Jessie Trube scored two second-half goals to lead the Slippery Rock University field hockey team to a 2-1 comeback victory over Queens University Sunday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The victory improved The Rock's record to 1-1 on the year while Queens, the preseason favorites to win the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas championship, drops to 0-1 with the loss.
 
Trailing 1-0 midway through the third quarter, SRU began to mount its comeback when Holly Stiller gained possession from a Queens offensive player and proceeded to launch a perfect 10-yard pass to Trube, who promptly beat Royals goalie Avian Thompson through the legs to even the score at 1-1 in the 39th minute.
 
SRU continued to be the aggressors in the second half following Trube's first goal with three more shots and a pair of penalty corners. The Rock eventually broke through for the game-winning goal four minutes into the fourth quarter when Trube corralled Kayla Del Vecchio's saved shot and once again beat Thompson at 49:32.
 
The rest of the game belonged to the Slippery Rock defense as goalkeeper Grace Burker stopped Queens' lone shot on goal in the final quarter while SRU's backline cleared a penalty corner in the 59th minute to seal the one-goal victory.
 
The two-goal outing was the third multi-score game of Trube's 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).
 
Stiller, who was primarily a defender two years ago, earned the first assist of her career on The Rock's first goal. Del Vecchio and Baliee Christman each recorded two shots as well Sunday while the quartet of Katelyn Sparks, Erin Roland, Jordyn Isner and Haley Metcalf all tallied an attempt apiece.
 
Burker continued the strong start to her career with seven saves en route to earning her first collegiate victory. Sunday's win also marked the first career victory as a head coach for The Rock's Rayell Heistand.
 
As a team, SRU held advantages over Queens in total shots (14-12) and shots on goal (10-8) while the Royals posted a 9-8 edge in penalty corners.
 
Queens was led by Gabe Lechner, who scored the Royals' lone goal on a Molly Walter assist. Goalkeeper Marlee Geppert stopped all four SRU shots on goal in the first half before giving way to Thompson, who had three saves and two goals allowed in the second half.
 
Slippery Rock is now 27-12 (.692) against non-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams dating back to the 2010 season.
 
SRU will close out its three-game homestand by hosting Belmont Abbey College 11 a.m. Sept. 11 at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium on Alumni Day.
 
 

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