Bracket  |  Tickets
 
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team will travel to Erie, Pennsylvania to begin the 2022 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament against Mercyhurst University 1 p.m. Tuesday in a quarterfinal round game.
 
TICKET PRICES
Students with valid PSAC school ID: Free
Adult General Admission: $10
School age children/High School Students: $5
Non-school age children: Free
 
PSAC TOURNAMENT SETUP
The top four teams from the Western and Eastern Divisions qualified for the PSAC Tournament. Tuesday's quarterfinal matches will feature intra-division matches between the No. 1-4 and No. 2-3 seeds.
 
The winners of Tuesday's games advance to the semifinals Friday. The winner of the Gannon-Seton Hill match will play the victors of the Bloomsburg-Kutztown game in one semifinal contest while the winner of the Slippery Rock-Mercyhurst match will play either East Stroudsburg or West Chester in the second semifinal.
 
The PSAC Tournament semifinals and championship rounds will be held at the highest Western Division seed remaining following Tuesday's games.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live video and in-game statistics are being provided by the Mercyhurst University Athletic Communication Department at the links below.
 
ROCK PSAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Slippery Rock has won four PSAC Championship titles (2003, 2005, 2012 and 2019). SRU has now qualified for the PSAC Tournament for 12 consecutive seasons. Overall, The Rock has earned PSAC Tournament berths in 19 of the program's 30-year existence.
 
MATCH DETAILS
Opponent: Mercyhurst University
Date: Tuesday – 1 p.m.
Location: Mercyhurst Soccer Field – Erie, Pennsylvania
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Lakers lead 16-12-4
Last Played: Oct. 8, 2022 (Tied)
 
SERIES HISTORY vs. MERCYHURST
Mercyhurst holds a slight 16-12-4 lead over SRU in the all-time series. Slippery Rock is 8-6-1 when traveling to Erie, Pennsylvania and has only lost once in its last seven road matches at Mercyhurst.
 
The Rock and Lakers have only met in the PSAC Tournament one previous time in a 2008 contest hosted by Mercyhurst, which resulted in a 5-2 victory for MU.
 
LAST MEETING
SRU battled Mercyhurst to a scoreless tie Oct. 8, 2022 at James Egli Field. Leading the way for The Rock was Sydney Patrick who placed one of her three shots of the match on goal. Emma Yoder was key in preserving the shutout by making five saves over 90 minutes.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 7-3-8
PSAC West Record: 6-3-7
PSAC Tournament Seed: No. 3
Last PSAC Title: 2019
Home Record: 2-2-5
Away Record: 5-1-3
Last Five Games: 3-1-1
Streak: W2
Head Coach: Jessica Giegucz | Eighth season at SRU (83-37-17)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
LAST TIME OUT
The Rock ended the regular season in fine fashion with a 4-0 shutout victory over Clarion Oct. 29 on the road to clinch their PSAC Tournament bid.
 
Four different players scored goals in Maddie DeLucio, Brooke Riefenstahl, Morgan Sarver and Kayla Swope. Aiding in the attack was Patrick with a pair of assists. Yoder earned her 10th shutout of the season after making three saves over the game's duration.
 
QUARTERFINAL QUICK FACTS
In seasons where divisions were split into East and West, Slippery Rock has claimed the No. 3 seed or higher eight times while in years where the conference was not split, SRU has ranked No. 3 or better six times. Additionally, The Rock has advanced from the quarterfinal match to the semifinals 11 times.
 
NO STRANGERS TO THE POSTSEASON
Nine members of the program have previous PSAC Tournament experience.
 
Yoder, the 2019 PSAC Tournament MVP, is 3-1 over four career league tournament contests with 19 saves and seven goals allowed. 
 
Swope has played in four PSAC Tournament games over her career, recording two goals on eight total shots. Julia Mascaro and Maddie DeLucio have also scored postseason goals while Sydney Patrick has assisted on a pair of goals in her PSAC Tournament career.
 
Rounding out Rock athletes with PSAC Tournament experience are Brooke Riefenstahl (3 games), Nina King (1), Kylee Kosek (1) and Ashley Rea (1).
 
TOUGH ON THE ROAD
Slippery Rock posted a strong showing over its nine road matches during the regular season, losing just one game and outscoring opponents 13-5.
 
Under Head Coach Jessica Giegucz, SRU has outscored its competition in away games by a +53 margin (111-58) in addition to recording 23 shutout victories and 42 contests surrendering no more than one goal.
 
ON THE ATTACK
The Rock's offense is led by Rea, Sarver and Swope each with nine points on the year. Rea has recorded a team-high four goals to go along with one assist while both Sarver and Swope tally three goals and three assists apiece.
 
Rounding out SRU's goal scorers in the regular season were DeLucio (3), Diffenbacher (2), Patrick (1), Riefenstahl (2), Jaime Dermotta (2), Skylar Munnikhuysen (1), Olivia Yoder (1) and Libby Zacharyasz (1).
 
Additionally, those who have also played the role of facilitator by contributing at least one assist include Mascaro (5), Patrick (5), DeLucio (1), Diffenbacher (1), Riefenstahl (1) and Zacharyasz (1).
 
ROCK SOLID DEFENSE
The Slippery Rock defense showed its poise over the regular season by ranking third in the PSAC in goals allowed 12. The Rock backline has also proven tough over the final 45 minutes of contests as they have allowed opponents to score just three second-half goals over 18 matches.
 
Yoder leads the way for a strong defensive effort entering the week tied for second in the PSAC in shutouts (10), third in the conference in both goals against average (0.67) and save percentage (.855) as well as sixth in saves (71).
 
PROGRAM HISTORY UPDATE
Yoder, SRU's all-time leader in saves (247), is first in goalie games started (63), tied for first in shutouts (29) and enters Tuesday's match just one win away from tying Dana O'Neill (2009-13) for first in goalie wins at 40.
 
Additionally, Yoder ranks fourth in Rock women's soccer program history in consecutive games started.
 
After her three-point showing against the Golden Eagles, Swope has passed Danielle Cooper (2005-07) for 11th in career assists with 17. 
 
PREVIOUSLY vs. MERCYHURST
Diffenbacher – 4 games: 1 goal
Mascaro – 6 games: 1 assist
Patrick – 4 games: 1 assist
Yoder – 6 games (2-2-2): 23 saves, 5 goals allowed
 
MERCYHURST PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 9-5-4
PSAC West Record: 8-4-4
PSAC Tournament Seed: No. 2
Last PSAC Title: 2008
Home Record: 6-2-1
Away Record: 3-3-3
Last Five Games: 2-3-0
Streak: L3
Head Coach: Lucas Fievet | First season at MU (4-4-3)
 
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Last time out: Mercyhurst ended the regular season in a 3-1 loss at Gannon, the No.1 seed in the PSAC West, Oct. 26.
 
Leading the Lakers' offense is Karah Van Horn who enters Tuesday's match with a team-high 14 points on seven goals. Aiding in the attack is Teagan Mehalko with seven points on two goals and three assists.
 
Mercyhurst starting goalkeeper Maddie Elbro is currently fourth in the conference in GAA at 0.83 to go along with a .795 save percentage and 58 saves.
 
During the regular season, Slippery Rock and Mercyhurst played to a 1-1 tie (Sept. 10) and 0-0 draw (Oct. 8). Through two matches, Van Horn tallied one goal while Elbro recorded seven total saves and surrendered just one goal.
 
UP NEXT
If Slippery Rock defeats Mercyhurst it will face either East Stroudsburg or West Chester Friday at a time and location yet to be determined.
 









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