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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team held off a second half rally from Shepherd University to come away with a 13-10 victory on a snowy evening Friday night at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in the season opener for both teams.
 
The Rock picked up a win in their first game of the year for the 13th consecutive season and scored a victory for interim head coach Taryn Burkholder in her first game leading the program.
 
SRU led 9-3 at halftime and was in control of the game before Shepherd mounted a rally. The Rams outscored The Rock 5-2 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 11-8 heading to the final period.
 
Shepherd tacked on two more quick goals in the first 1:06 of the fourth period to cut the deficit to just one goal at 11-10 with 13:54 to play, but could never find the tying goal. Gillian O'Rourke made three saves in the fourth quarter to preserve the SRU lead and The Rock tallied two insurance goals in the final 68 seconds to seal the win.
 
Slippery Rock finished the game with advantages of 35-21 in total shots and 17-10 in draw controls. Both teams picked up 27 ground balls. The Rock won the turnover battle and went 17-of-22 on clear attempts, while Shepherd was 17-of-28 on the clear.
 
SRU got multiple points out of five different players, led by Charleigh Rondeau with a game-high five points on two goals and three assists. Rondeau also grabbed a game-high 10 draw controls and three ground balls.
 
Jamie DiCarlo tallied two goals and handed out two assists, Brooke Kelly recorded a hat trick with three goals in her first career game, Molly Buettner scored one goal and handed out two assists and Katie Dlugosz scored two goals.
 
The Rock also got one goal each from Emily Mox and Eryn Little, who scored in her first career game.
 
O'Rourke made nine saves to earn the win in goal. Taylor Baiers helped the defensive effort with three caused turnovers, while Hailey Ohlsen grabbed a team-high five ground balls.
 
Shepherd got five points from Katherine Campbell with three goals and two assists and two goals each from Sidney Kelly and Paige Alexander. Hailey Bennett made 15 saves in goal.
 
Slippery Rock gets a full week off before returning to action next Saturday on the road at D'Youville in Buffalo, New York.
 

 
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