GAME PROGRAM INFO
Slippery Rock has moved away from printed game programs for all sports in 2022-23. This page will serve as the "Digital Game Program" for this week's game. To navigate to all gameday info for any SRU home events this year, simply visit rockathletics.com/gameday or scan the QR code on the "Gameday Info" posters hanging in each facility.
 

Slippery Rock vs. Gannon
The Rock (4-2-1)	Golden Knights (5-2-1)
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
Statistics	Statistics
Coach Kevin Wilhelm	Coach Billy Colton
Program Records	Program Records
James Egli Field
PSAC Standings
PSAC Leaders
PSAC Schedule

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team looks to remain undefeated at home when it hosts Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Opponent Gannon 12 p.m. Saturday at James Egli Field.
 
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.
 
GAME 8 DETAILS
Opponent: Gannon University
Date: Saturday, Sept. 24 – 12 p.m.
Location: James Egli Field
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 23-18-2
Last Played: Nov. 6, 2021 (GU won 2-1)
 
SERIES HISTORY vs GANNON
Slippery Rock holds a 23-18-2 lead in the all-time series over Gannon dating back to 1968. SRU is an even 6-6-1 with the Golden Knights in its most recent 13 contests and is 10-10-2 when hosting GU.
 
LAST MEETING
The Rock closed out the 2021 season in a 2-1 loss on the road to a nationally ranked Gannon team on Nov. 6. Slippery Rock was led on offense by Joey Moeller who posted SRU's only goal off of an assist from Joe Skillicorn. Through 90 minutes, goalkeeper Hossam Aly made six saves.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 4-2-1
PSAC West Record: 2-0
PSAC West Standings: Tied for first
Home Record: 3-0-1
Away Record: 1-2
Last Five Games: 3-1-1
Streak: W3
Head Coach: Kevin Wilhelm | Fifth season at SRU (24-32-7)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock defeated California (Pa.) 1-0 on the road Sept. 21 at the Phillipsburg Soccer Facility. Shaun Spencer led SRU with the game's lone goal, in his second consecutive game scoring via penalty kick. Aly earned his second shutout victory of the year after making two saves over 90 minutes.
 
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART AND WINS ARE
The Rock has improved their record under head coach Kevin Wilhelm to 17-10-4 (.548) when hosting their opponents. In that time frame, SRU is 10-7 in PSAC competition and has outscored those conference opponents 28-20 while surrendering no more than one goal on 12 occasions.
 
During the 2022 season alone in four home contests, Slippery Rock holds a +5 (8-3) scoring margin over competitors at James Egli Field.
 
PSAC PERSEVERANCE
Wednesday's victory over the Vulcans marked the fifth season since 1993 in which The Rock claimed a 2-0 record to open conference play and their first time doing so since 2015, when SRU won its last PSAC championship.
 
A win or tie against the Golden Knights would be just the second time since 1993 that an SRU men's soccer team was undefeated through its first three PSAC contests. The 2009 squad was 5-0 in conference play before receiving its first PSAC loss.
 
UNBEATEN STREAK
The Rock are currently on a three-game winning streak and four-game unbeaten streak. A win or tie against Gannon would match SRU's longest undefeated streak since the 2015 season with five games.
 
ON THE ATTACK
Slippery Rock is led on offense by Arturo Pla Hernandis who is tied for first in the PSAC in game-winning goals (2), tied for seventh in goals (4) and tied for eighth in points (8).
 
Following, and on a two-game scoring streak, is Spencer with five points on two goals and one assist. Spencer is also tied for first in the conference in game-winning goals (2).
 
Ramses Minaya enters the weekend with four points on one goal and two assists while Alex Plimmer and Joe Skillicorn each have one goal and one assist.
 
Rounding out The Rock's scorers is Max Murphy with one goal and Nathan Kortyna with an assist.
 
DEFENSE WINS GAMES
The Slippery Rock defense picked up its second shutout victory of the season Wednesday. Through seven games, SRU has surrendered only three first half goals.
 
More impressively, this year's team is only the second Rock roster since 1993, and first since 2018, to have limited its opponents to just three goals in its first four home games of the season.
 
Leading the way for the SRU backline is Aly, who is first in the PSAC in saves per game (5.14) tied for second in saves (36), sixth in save percentage (.783) and ninth in goals against average (1.43).
 
PROGRAM HISTORY UPDATES
A win for Slippery Rock over Gannon would tie head coach Kevin Wilhelm with Andy Hoggarth for eighth all-time in wins by an SRU men's soccer coach with 25.
 
Hillman continues to make his way up the list of consecutive starts by an SRU men's soccer player. A start Saturday would tie him for eighth with Matt Hunsberger (2016-19) at 32.
 
PREVIOUSLY vs GANNON
Kortyna – 2 games: 1 goal
Skillicorn – 2 games: 1 assist
Aly – 2 games (0-2): 11 saves, 3 goals allowed
Hoffman – 1 game: 4 saves, 1 goal allowed
 
NEXT FIVE GAMES
Sept. 30 – 6 p.m. at Mercyhurst
Oct. 4 – 4 p.m. vs. Roberts Wesleyan
Oct. 8 – 12 p.m. vs. Seton Hill
Oct. 12 – 6 p.m. at Gannon
Oct. 15 – 2:30 p.m. at Pitt-Johnstown
 
GANNON PRIMER
Overall Record: 5-2-1
PSAC West Record: 0-0-1
PSAC West Standings: Tied for third
Home Record: 2-0-1
Away Record: 3-2
Last Five Games: 3-1-1
Streak: W2
Head Coach: Billy Colton | Fourth season at GU (42-12-4)
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Last time out: Gannon earned a solid 12-1 non-conference win on the road against D'Youville University Monday.
 
As a team, Gannon is among the NCAA DII leaders ranking first in total goals (28), second in points (77), third in assists (21) and fourth in points per game (9.62).
 
Leading the way for the Golden Knight offense is Sergio Del Castillo with PSAC-high's 24 points and 11 goals to go along with two assists. In all of Division II, Del Castillo ranks first in total goals, points, points per game (3.0) and goals per game (1.38).
 
Gannon starting goalkeeper David Synstelien enters Saturday's contest with a 1.41 GAA, .714 save percentage and 25 saves.
 
In SRU and GU's most recent meeting a season ago. Del Castillo tallied three points on a goal and assist while Charlie Petersen netted Gannon's remaining goal. Synstelien made three saves and allowed just one goal over 90 minutes of action.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock continues PSAC West action when it travels to Erie, Pennsylvania for a night match against Mercyhurst University 6 p.m. Sept. 30.







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