SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University field hockey team will compete in four matches over two days at two locations in West Virginia this weekend when it takes part in the annual Atlantic Region crossover.
 
The Rock opens the weekend in West Liberty, West Virginia 3 p.m. Friday against Notre Dame College followed by a 5 p.m. contest versus host West Liberty University. Saturday's slate sees SRU travel to Wheeling, West Virginia for a 12 p.m. match at Wheeling and a final contest at 4 p.m. against Fairmont State University.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live video and in-game statistics will be provided for all four matches this weekend free of charge courtesy of the West Liberty and Wheeling Sports Information offices.
 
GREEN OUT SET FOR SEPT. 13
Slippery Rock has announced a "Green Out" for its home-opener on Sept. 13 against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division foe Indiana University (Pa.). Fans are encouraged to wear green for the match. In addition to what should be a competitive match, The Rock will also be holding serving contests between sets with various prizes to be awarded for anyone wearing green.
 
MATCH 8 DETAILS
Opponent: Notre Dame College
Date: Friday – 3 p.m.
Location: ASRC | West Liberty, West Virginia
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-match Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: NDC leads 3-1
Last Played: Sept. 17, 2021 (NDC won 3-1)
 
SERIES HISTORY vs. NOTRE DAME
In one of its newest series against a Division II team, Slippery Rock is just 1-3 against Notre Dame since the inaugural contest between The Rock and Falcons in 2017. A year ago, Notre Dame earned a pair of wins against SRU.
 
MATCH 9 DETAILS
Opponent: West Liberty University
Date: Friday – 5 p.m.
Location: ASRC | West Liberty, West Virginia
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-match Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 12-7
Last Played: Sept. 17, 2021 (WLU won 3-2)
 
SERIES HISTORY vs. WEST LIBERTY
The Rock and Hilltoppers have met annually over each of the last eight years. While West Liberty have taken four of its last five matches against The Rock, SRU does hold a 12-7 record all-time against WLU.
 
MATCH 10 DETAILS
Opponent: Wheeling University
Date: Saturday – 12 p.m.
Location: McDonough Center | Wheeling, West Virginia
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-match Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: Wheeling leads 17-5
Last Played: Sept. 18, 2021 (WU won 3-0)
 
SERIES HISTORY vs. WHEELING
Another of The Rock's long-running non-conference series, SRU and the Cardinals have played 14 times dating back to the 2007 season with Wheeling holding a 17-5 record all-time against Slippery Rock.
 
MATCH 11 DETAILS
Opponent: Fairmont State University
Date: Saturday – 4 p.m.
Location: McDonough Center | Wheeling, West Virginia
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-match Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads 18-11
Last Played: Aug. 27, 2022 (FSU won 3-1)
 
SERIES HISTORY vs. FAIRMONT STATE
While Fairmont State has won three straight matches against The Rock, including a four-set victory earlier this year, SRU still holds an 18-11 record all-time against FSU. Four of the last five matches between The Rock and Falcons have gone at least four sets.
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 2-5
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-2
Neutral Site Record: 2-3
Streak: L1
Last 5 Matches: 1-4
Head Coach: Laurie Lokash | 39th Year (650-615 / .514)
 
ROCK STAT LEADERS
ATTACK: Erica Selfridge (48 kills / .123), Callie Chevalier (44 kills / .172)
ASSISTS: Jaeden Yost (125 / 5.00 per set)
ACES: Yost (11), Kate Lachendro (9)
DIGS: Lachendro (123 / 4.92 per set)
BLOCKS: Stephanie O'Donnell (26), Nigon (19)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
ROCK RECAP THROUGH 2 WEEKS
Slippery Rock has opened the year with a 2-5 overall record. Most recently, SRU competed against strong competition at the Shark Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, going 1-2 on the weekend with a win over Shaw and losses to nationally ranked Nova Southeastern and American International, which was receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top-25 poll that preceded the tournament.
 
As a team, Slippery Rock ranks second in the PSAC in blocks per set (2.16), fourth in total blocks (54) and fifth in digs per set (16.36).
 
WIN #650 IN THE BOOKS FOR LOKASH
Slippery Rock defeated Shaw in four sets last weekend at the Shark Invitational for what was the 650th victory in the career of head coach Laurie Lokash.
 
How impressive is Lokash's win total? There are 539,729 coaches listed in the NCAA all-time volleyball coaching database (all divisions) and only 82 have reached 650 wins.
 
FORMIDABLE TRIO UP FRONT
Slippery Rock's Stephanie O'Donnell, Abigail Nigon and Chelsie Wheeler have combined for 60 blocks through The Rock's first seven matches. No other trio in the PSAC West has totaled more blocks than O'Donnell, Nigon and Wheeler have for SRU.
 
O'Donnell has paced SRU's block efforts so far with 26, the second-highest individual total in the PSAC West, with Nigon totaling 19 and Wheeler adding 15.
 
THE ROCK ATTACK
Slippery Rock's offensive attack has been a balanced approach through the early parts of the season with five athletes having registered at least 30 kills.
 
Erica Selfridge enters the weekend with a team-high 48 kills with freshman Callie Chevalier close behind at 44 and Alayna Chizmar rounding out the top three at 40. Nigon and Wheeler round out the top five kill leaders on the team at 38 and 33, respectively.
 
Nigon has earned her 38 kills on an extremely efficient .378 attack percentage, the fourth highest percentage in the entire PSAC regardless of division.
 
GUIDING THE ATTACK
Setting duties for The Rock this season have been divided between Jaeden Yost and Peytan Gullickson. Yost, just a freshman, has distributed 125 assists (5.0 aps) over her first seven collegiate matches while Gullickson has 87 (3.48).
 
Yost, who is also second on the team with 72 digs, also leads The Rock in double-doubles with four.
 
WHEN THE ROCK SERVES
Yost goes into the Notre Dame match as the only Rock athlete with double-digit aces at 11. Kate Lachendro is second on the team with nine aces followed by Selfridge (7), Chevalier (5), Chizmar (5) and Maria Lucas (5).
 
LACHENDRO AMONG PSAC'S BEST LIBEROS
In the first two weekends of the 2022 season, Lachendro totaled 123 digs while averaging 4.92 digs per set. Inside the PSAC, she ranks second in both total digs and digs per set. Lachendro has recorded at least 23 digs in three of SRU's seven matches this year.
 
KOELLER MAKES DEBUT
Another important piece of the Slippery Rock puzzle was added last weekend as senior Abigail Koeller made her 2022 debut at the Shark Invitational. Over three matches, Koeller totaled 15 kills, 23 digs, three aces and a pair of blocks.  
 
CONSISTENT LINEUP
The Rock's starting lineup has been very consistent this year with Selfridge, Chizmar, Nigon, O'Donnell and Yost having started all seven matches. Chevalier started the first six matches of the season before Koeller was inserted into the lineup for the Nova Southeastern match. A year ago, 16 athletes started at least one match for SRU.
 
SRU vs. THE MEC
This weekend's Atlantic Region crossover pits The Rock against four teams from the Mountain East Conference. Historically, Slippery Rock has performed solid against teams from the conference as SRU is 86-67 (.562) against its MEC counterparts.
 
WEST VIRGINIA STATE OF MIND
Dating back to the 2003 season, Slippery Rock is 49-48 (.505) in matches played in the state of West Virginia. SRU competed in the Fairmont State Volleyball Classic in Fairmont, West Virginia earlier this season, winning one of its four matches.
 
CURRENT SRU ROSTER VS. FAIRMONT
(Per match averages)
Nigon: 10.0 kills / 5.0 Blocks (2 matches)
Selfridge: 8.7 kills / 1.0 aces (3 matches)
Wheeler: 7.3 kills (3 matches)
Mary Berger: 6.5 kills / 1.5 aces (2 matches)
Chizmar: 6.0 kills / 8.0 digs / 1.0 aces (3 matches)
Lachendro: 27.3 digs / 1.3 aces (3 matches)
 
CURRENT SRU ROSTER VS. NOTRE DAME
(Per match averages)
Selfridge: 7.5 kills (2 matches)
Wheeler: 5.5 kills, 2.5 blocks (2 matches)
Chizmar: 7.0 kills / 7.0 digs (2 matches)
Lachendro: 18.0 digs / 1.0 aces (2 matches)
 
NEXT FIVE MATCHES
Sept. 13 (7 p.m.) vs. Indiana (Pa.) – Green Out
Sept. 16 (6 p.m.) at Edinboro
Sept. 23 (6 p.m.) at Clarion
Sept. 24 (2 p.m.) at Pitt-Johnstown
Sept. 27 (7 p.m.) at Point Park
 
NOTRE DAME PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 3-7
Home Record: 1-0
Away Record: 1-3
Neutral Site Record: 1-4
Streak: W1
Last 5 Matches: 2-3
Head Coach: Anthony Mezacapa | Second Year at NDC (19-23 / .452)
 
FALCON LEADERS
ATTACK: Samantha Comer (82 kills / .138), Kaye Dregalla (78 kills / .111)
ASSISTS: Jayme Zoeckler (264 / 7.54 per set)
ACES: Carli Derda (14), Zoeckler (11)
DIGS: Kiley Kalina (138 / 4.06 per set)
BLOCKS: Ryleigh Ronald (30), Derda (29)
 
WEST LIBERTY PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 5-4
Home Record: 1-0
Away Record: 1-1
Neutral Site Record: 3-3
Streak: W1
Last 5 Matches: 4-1
Head Coach: Riley Schenk | Third Year at WLU (33-21 / .611)
 
HILLTOPPER LEADERS
ATTACK: Nina Billotto (68 kills / .261), Ruby Countryman (67 kills / .276)
ASSISTS: Haley Zeck (229 / 7.16 per set)
ACES: Kaija Sydlowski (11), Nyia Setla (9)
DIGS: Setla (184 / 5.75 per set)
BLOCKS: Countryman (28), Billotto (21)
 
WHEELING PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 2-5
Home Record: 0-0
Away Record: 0-2
Neutral Site Record: 2-3
Streak: L1
Last 5 Matches: 2-3
Head Coach: Christy Benner | 21st Year at WU (644-143 / .818)
 
CARDINAL LEADERS
ATTACK: Tyla Yeomans (93 kills / .269), Mady Winters (62 kills / .311)
ASSISTS: Karly Niesen (279 / 10.33)
ACES: Niesen (9)
DIGS: Berit Jones (98 / 4.26 per set)
BLOCKS: Allonda Watkins (33), Winters (26)
 
FAIRMONT STATE PRIMER
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
Overall Record: 9-0
Home Record: 5-0
Away Record: 1-0
Neutral Site Record: 3-0
Streak: W9
Last 5 Matches: 9-0
Head Coach: Travis Hinkle | Second Year at FSU (30-10 / .750)
 
FALCON LEADERS
ATTACK: Kear Lewis (90 kills / .228), Nyla Birch (76 kills , .313)
ASSISTS: Lauren Albrecht (152 / 4.90 per set)
ACES: Bryce Knapp (22), Amelia Moore (11)
DIGS: Knapp (135 / 4.22 per set)
BLOCKS: Moore (39), Emma Ludwig (37)
 
UP NEXT
For the first time this season, Slippery Rock will host a match at Morrow Field House when it meets Indiana (Pa.) 7 p.m. Sept. 13 for a PSAC contest on "Green Out" night.




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