GAME PROGRAM INFO
Slippery Rock has moved away from printed game programs for all sports in 2023-24. 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, Pa. — The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team will look for back-to-back wins when it hosts California (Pa.) 1 p.m. Wednesday at James Egli Field.
Following their key 3-1 win over Seton Hill University, The Rock enter with a record of 3-5-4 overall and 2-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division. The Vulcans come in on a five-game losing streak, 3-9-1 overall and 1-4 in PSAC West territory.
WATCH ON YOUR TV - "ROCK ATHLETICS DIGITAL NETWORK" APPS
• Fans can watch Wednesday'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 TV, 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 13 of 17
Opponent: California (Pa.)
Date: Wednesday — 1 p.m.
Venue: James Egli Field
Location: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Live Video: Rock Athletics Digital Network
Live Stats: Slippery Rock Athletic Communication
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
SERIES HISTORY vs. CALIFORNIA
Wednesday marks the 51
st all-time meeting between The Rock and the Vulcans, a series that dates to 1984. Slippery Rock holds a narrow 24-23-3 advantage, going 7-2-1 in its last 10 meetings with California.
While at home, SRU leads 15-10-2. Slippery Rock's last home loss to Cal came Sept. 28, 2012. Since then, Slippery Rock has won seven straight home matches against the Vulcans.
LAST MEETING
Slippery Rock opened conference play Sept. 27 at Cal, falling 2-1. After a scoreless first half that featured both sides posting just three shots each, Cal came out of halftime firing, netting two goals in the first 4:33.
Gabin Lonjard connected on a header from a
Shaun Spencer free kick in the 79
th minute, but The Rock failed to find the equalizer.
While Slippery Rock led in shots on goal (4-3) and corner kicks (6-2), both teams took seven total shots in the game.
THE ROCK BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Record: 3-5-4
PSAC West Record: 2-3-0
PSAC West Standings: T-3
rd
Home Record: 3-2-1
Away Record: 0-3-3
Last Five Games: 2-2-1
Streak: W1
Head Coach: Kevin Wilhelm | Sixth season at SRU (28-45-12)
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock picked up a critical victory against Seton Hill last week in a 3-1 decision. After giving up a goal just 1:21 into the game,
Aitor Jorde responded on a header from
Luke Gildea just 24 seconds later.
After the Griffins fell shorthanded to an 18
th minute red card, Slippery Rock was able to control the pace of play. Jorde tacked on a second goal in the 78
th minute on a heading ball crossed in from Spencer. In the 81
st minute,
Will Harrigan gave SRU a two-goal cushion, scoring similarly on a header from a Spencer cross.
SRU held advantages in shots (18-4), shots on goal (7-2) and corner kicks (7-0).
HITTING THEIR STRIDE
Arturo Pla Hernandis leads Slippery Rock's offense with 14 points, all coming from seven goals. Jorde is the second player to reach double-digits in points, credited with 10 points on five goals.
Lonjard and
Aashi Pandher both have five points, each with two goals and one assist.
Ignacio Rullan enters Wednesday's contest with four points from one goal and a pair of assists. Spencer's four points come from a team-high four assists, followed by Gildea's three points on three assists.
Harrigan became the 12
th different Slippery Rock player with points this year, now with two points on one goal.
Joe Skillicorn joins him with two points, coming from two assists.
Chris Mitchell,
Max Murphy and
Jeroen Van Der Veen all have one point from one assist.
LOOKS ON GOAL
Pla Hernandis leads the team in both shots and shots on goal, placing 19 of his 35 shots on target. His 2.92 shots and 1.58 shots on goal per game both rank second in the PSAC West.
If Pla Hernandis takes a shot against Cal, it will mark the 30
th straight game that he has recorded at least one shot, a streak that includes the entirety of the 2022 season.
Tallying nine shots in SRU's win over Seton Hill, Jorde has now racked up 32 shots, 14 of which have landed on net.
Pandher has taken at least one shot in each of the last three matches, now having placed seven of his 16 shots on goal.
Gildea enters Wednesday with one of the best shooting accuracies, with six of his 10 shots going to goal.
TWO GOALS, TWO ASSISTS
For the second time this season, a Slippery Rock duo has combined for six points in a single game on two goals and two assists. Against Seton Hill, Jorde scored two goals in a single game for the first time in his career, while Spencer posted his first game with two assists.
Earlier this year against Daemen University, Pla Hernandis scored two goals while Rullan added two assists.
A FIRST-TIME SCORER
Harrigan, a junior from Manassas, Virginia, headed in the first goal of his career last week against Seton Hill. With his first career points, the defender also took his first shots on goal this year, placing three of his four total shots on net.
THE COMEBACK KIDS
Slippery Rock's 3-1 win over Seton Hill marked the second time this year that The Rock came back to win after losing prior in the match. Against Pitt-Johnstown Sept. 30, Slippery Rock trailed 1-0 through the opening 20 minutes before rallying to a 3-2 victory with goals from Jorde, Pla Hernandis and Rullan.
MORE CORNERS
Slippery Rock has only taken fewer corner kicks than its opponent three times this year, now holding an advantage in corner kicks in its last two matches. Despite a 7-1 loss to No. 10 Gannon University, Slippery Rock led in corner kicks, 10-5. Against Seton Hill, The Rock controlled a 7-0 stronghold in corner kicks.
Through the last five matches, SRU has held a cumulative edge in corner kicks, 37-22.
SRU DEFENSE
Slippery Rock's back line is continued to be led by the likes of Harrigan, Lonjard, Spencer and Van Der Veen. The crew is coming off its strongest showing of the year, holding Seton Hill to four shots and zero corners.
Slippery Rock most recently allowed four or fewer shots Oct. 3, 2018 in a 4-0 win over UPJ in which SRU led in shots, 23-3.
The last time that SRU did not allow a corner kick in a match was Sept. 17, 2022 in a 4-1 win over UPJ, with The Rock leading in corners, 3-0.
ACTION IN NET
Adam Davies enters Wednesday hot off his third win of the season, now having made 44 saves on 125 shots faced for a .638 save percentage. Davies carries a GAA of 2.12, coming into Wednesday on 88 straight shutout minutes.
WHERE THEY STAND
Slippery Rock's win over Seton Hill moved them to six points on two wins, tied with the Griffins for the third and final postseason spot. The Rock are six points behind No. 20 Mercyhurst University and nine points behind No. 10 Gannon, who lead the PSAC West.
California enters Wednesday in great need of three points, currently in a tie for fifth with Pitt-Johnstown at three points from one win.
ACTIVE SRU ROSTER vs. CALIFORNIA
Arturo Pla Hernandis — 7 points (3 goals, 1 assist)
Shaun Spencer — 5 points (2 goals, 1 assist)
Gabin Lonjard — 2 points (1 goal, 0 assists)
Joe Skillicorn — 1 point (0 goals, 1 assist)
Adam Davies — 6 saves (2 games played)
THE VULCANS BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Record: 3-9-1 (.269)
PSAC West Record: 1-4-0
PSAC West Standings: T-5
th
Home Record: 2-4-1
Away Record: 1-5-0
Last Five Games: 0-5-0
Streak: L5
Head Coach: Emedin Sabic | 11
th season at California (53-93-16, .377)
CALIFORNIA SCOUTING REPORT
The Vulcans come to Slippery Rock on a five-game losing streak, most recently having won in the 2-1 decision against The Rock. In its last five matches, Cal has been outscored, 14-2. Most recently, Cal dropped a 2-0 loss to No. 20 Mercyhurst last week, getting outshot, 16-5.
The 3-9-1 Vulcans picked up non-conference wins earlier this year against Malone University and D'Youville University, in 4-2 and 5-1 matches, respectively.
Cal is led by true freshman Andriy Bilous who has 10 points on four goals and two assists. Bilous also leads the team in shots and shots on goal, placing 14 of his 26 total shots on net.
Another true freshman, Jacob Gretz, enters Wednesday with nine points on three goals and three assists. Against SRU, Gretz earned one goal and one assist.
Charleroi, Pennsylvania native Cullin Woytovich also carries three assists himself, proving to be a consistent threat from Cal's defensive line.
After not playing in the first four games of the year, AJ Visco has been Cal's starting goalkeeper for nine matches, making 33 saves on 112 shots faced. Visco has a .569 save percentage and a GAA of 2.78. He made three saves on seven shots against The Rock, earlier this year.
Cal has allowed more goals than anyone else in the PSAC West, getting outscored on the year, 34-14. The Vulcans also take the least amount of shots in the PSAC, at 7.85 per match.
LOOKING AHEAD
For the first time in four matches, Slippery Rock will hit the road, facing off at 12 p.m. Saturday at Pitt-Johnstown. The Rock defeated the Mountain Cats earlier this year, 3-2, at James Egli Field.
To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).
