SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team battled Fairmont State University to a 0-0 non-conference tie in its home-opener Sunday at James Egli Field.
With the tie, The Rock's record moves to 1-0-1 overall while Fairmont State opens the season with a 0-0-1 mark overall. The draw was the first time Slippery Rock had a scoreless season opener at Egli Field since 2014 when it hosted Shippensburg to a 0-0 result.
Veteran goalkeeper
Emma Yoder was instrumental to SRU securing a tie as she made five saves through 90 minutes of action.
The Rock's offense was led by
Kayla Swope with three total shots, all placed on target. Following was
Sydney Patrick and
Ashley Rea each with four shots including two and one on goal respectively.
Rounding out Slippery Rock's shot takers was
Jaime Dermotta,
Libby Zacharyasz,
Kylee Kosek and Morgan Saver all with a shot each.
SRU's offense wasted no time testing Falcon goalkeeper Taylor Kennedy firing two shots on goal, off the feet of Swope and Dermotta, in the opening 16 minutes of contest. Additionally, Slippery Rock earned three consecutive corner kick attempts within the same minute but was unable to capitalize on them.
Fairmont State opened with an offensive surge of its own forcing Yoder to make four of her five saves, including a stellar save knocking away a last-minute chested ball by Alyssa Weaver with 11 minutes left in the first half. The Slippery Rock defense aided in preserving the stalemate by clearing numerous Falcon attacks sending the game into halftime tied 0-0.
Coming out of the break, the defensive battle between The Rock and Fairmont State continued as SRU took the first shot of the period just two minutes in off the foot of Rea that was saved by Taylor. Yoder answered accordingly to the Falcons only shot on goal of the second half with a save of her own.
Slippery Rock went on to control most of the offensive attack throughout the second period with its best look at breaking the draw coming when Kosek sent a nicely placed cross pass into the box that Swope narrowly missed chipping right into the upper half of the goal.
Slippery Rock put up the final shot of the contest with Rea missing just wide while The Rock defense did not allow the Falcons to have another shot attempt en route to a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes of action.
For the game, SRU held advantages in shots (15-8) and shots on goal (6-5) while the Falcons led in corner kicks (6-5).
Slippery Rock enters Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition at Gannon University 6 p.m. Aug. 31.
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