SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team looks to return to its winning ways in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division road test against No. 8 Mercyhurst University 6 p.m. Friday.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live video and in-game statistics will be provided by the Mercyhurst University Athletic Communication department.
 
GAME 9 DETAILS
Opponent: Mercyhurst University
Date: Friday, Sept. 30 – 6 p.m.
Location: Saxon Stadium – Erie, Pennsylvania
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Mercyhurst leads 27-16-2
Last Played: Oct. 30, 2021 (MU won 2-1)
 
SERIES HISTORY vs MERCYHURST
Mercyhurst holds a 27-16-2 lead in the all-time series with The Rock dating back to 1980. The last time that SRU defeated a ranked Lakers team came in the 2013 PSAC Tournament Championship game when a 24th-ranked Rock team beat No. 13 Mercyhurst, 3-2 in double overtime behind two Stephen Donnelly goals. 
 
LAST MEETING
Slippery Rock suffered a 2-1 overtime loss to Mercyhurst Oct. 30, 2021 at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. SRU was led by Alejandro Fernandez who scored The Rock's lone goal of the contest on an assist by Brian McCarthy. Hossam Aly finished the contest with three saves over 99:25.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Stats: Link
Roster: Link
Overall Record: 4-3-1
PSAC West Record: 2-1
PSAC West Standings: Third
Home Record: 3-0-1
Away Record: 1-3
Last Five Games: 3-1-1
Streak: L1
Head Coach: Kevin Wilhelm | Fifth season at SRU (24-33-7)

SCOUTING THE ROCK
LAST TIME OUT
The Rock ended a four-game unbeaten streak in a 2-0 loss to Gannon University Sept. 24 at James Egli Field. Aly finished the match with eight saves over the entirety of the game.
 
AGAINST NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS
Slippery Rock has faced four nationally ranked teams under head coach Kevin Wilhelm with a 0-2-2 record. A win against Mercyhurst would not only mark the first victory over a ranked team under Wilhelm, but also the first for SRU since the 2015 team defeated No. 21 Millersville 2-1 in the PSAC Tournament Championship.
 
SOLID HALFWAY MARK
Winners of half of its games, SRU has compiled one of its best starts to a season in recent memory. A win over the Lakers would mark the first season in which The Rock won five of their first nine games since the 2015 squad who was 6-3 through nine matches.
 
A LOOK AT THE OFFENSE
While SRU as a team has opened contests scoring just three total goals, the second half of competition has found more success with The Rock netting seven second half goals.
 
Slippery Rock's offense is paced by Arturo Pla Hernandis who is tied for third in the PSAC in game-winning goals (2) and seventh in goals (4).
 
Following is Shaun Spencer who is also tied for third in the conference in game-winning goals (2) while totaling five points on one two goals and one assist.
 
Ramses Minaya is the only Rock player to have dished out two assists this year in addition to one goal while Alex Plimmer and Joe Skillicorn each have three points on one goal and one assist.
 
Rounding out SRU point scorers is Max Murphy with one goal and Nathan Kortyna with an assist.
 
ROCK SOLID DEFENSE
The Rock's backline is currently seventh in the 13-team PSAC in goals allowed (12) and has surrendered just five first-half goals over their first eight contests.
 
Leading the way for the SRU defense is Aly who is first in the conference in saves per game (5.50), second in saves (44), fifth in save percentage (.786) and ninth in goals against average (1.50).
 
While Aly began the season allowing eight goals over SRU's first three contests, he has only allowed four goals over The Rock's most recent five matches.
 
CONSISTENT STARTERS
Slippery Rock has featured a consistent lineup with 10 of the starting 11 over eight contests being Aly, Hillman, Kortyna, Minaya, Pla Hernandis, Plimmer, Skillicorn, Harry Griffin, Will Harrigan and Ryan John. Spencer and Noel Williamson have split time in the 11th spot starting six and two games respectively.
 
PROGRAM HISTORY UPDATES
Wilhelm is one win away from moving into a tie with Andy Hoggarth for eighth all-time in wins by an SRU men's soccer coach with 25.
 
Hillman's two starts last week tied him for eighth with Matt Hunsberger (2016-19) with 32 on the list of consecutive starts by an SRU men's soccer player. With nine regular season contests remaining, Hillman has the potential to end his career fifth on the list.
 
For his career Aly is 14th in shutouts (5), 15th in starts by a goalie (21) and 19th in goalie wins (8).
 
PREVIOUSLY vs MERCYHURST
Aly – 2 games (0-2): 10 saves, 6 goals allowed
 
NEXT FIVE GAMES
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
Oct. 19 – 1 p.m. vs California (Pa.)
 
MERCYHURST PRIMER
Stats: Link
Roster: Link
USC Top-25: Eighth
Overall Record: 9-0-1
PSAC West Record: 3-0-0
PSAC West Standings: First
Home Record: 4-0-0
Away Record: 5-0-1
Last Five Games: 5-0-0
Streak: W5
Head Coach: Ryan Osborne | Third season at MU (22-4-3)
 
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Last time out: Mercyhurst continued a 10-game unbeaten streak earning a 4-0 shutout win over Pitt-Johnstown on the road Sept. 24.
 
Leading the Lakers is Sean Kerrigan who is first in all of Division II in goals per game (1.00), fourth in goals (9) and fifth in points (22) to go along with four assists this season. Following is Dylan Sumner who is first in DII in assists (7) while netting two goals.
 
Mercyhurst starting goalkeeper Jonathan Gomes is first in the nation in GAA (0.13) and save percentage (.944) while making 17 saves on the year.
 
A season ago, Tom Barry scored the game-winning goal in overtime against SRU while Gomes made one save and allowed one goal in the Lakers 2-1 win.
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock steps out of PSAC West play to host non-conference opponent Roberts Wesleyan University 4 p.m. Oct. 4 at James Egli Field.







To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on Twitter (@Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).