ERIE, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team kept No. 7 Gannon University within striking distance for the first 70 minutes, but fell, 4-1, to the nationally ranked Golden Knights who tallied three late goals Wednesday night.
 
The loss ends Slippery Rock's three-game winning streak and pushes its overall record to 5-6-4. Within the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division, The Rock fall to .500 at 4-4. Gannon kept its undefeated season alive, improving to 14-0-2 overall and 7-0-1 in PSAC West play.
 
Aitor Jorde netted the lone goal for Slippery Rock, his sixth goal in the last four games. Joe Skillicorn picked up the assist, his third on the year.
 
Jorde was joined by Arturo Pla Hernandis in the offensive front, both taking four shots. Jorde led the squad with three shots on goal, while Aashi Pandher placed two of his three total shots on frame. Jeroen Van Der Veen also recorded three shots in the game.
 
Adam Davies made two saves in the match, facing a career-high 21 shots.
 
The Golden Knights struck early, with a goal in the ninth minute from James Pool. SRU pounced right back at them, though, as Skillicorn played a corner kick into Jorde, who headed it into the upper 90 of the net in the 11^th minute.
 
The Rock controlled the remainder of the first half, holding a 9-7 advantage in shots at intermission.
 
It appeared that Slippery Rock had kept the momentum shifted in its favor to open the second half, but SRU was threatened after committing a foul in its own penalty box in the 64^th minute.
 
Gannon's Tinashe Katsande, who ranks third in goals per game in Division II, stepped up to the point for the penalty kick. Looking for the right side of the net, Katsande was denied by Davies, who dove heroically to make the stop.
 
Gannon snuck one past Davies in the 71^st minute, though, as Pool doubled the lead in the 79^th minute to earn the hat trick and increase the score to 3-1. Pau Ferrer tacked on one more for the Golden Knights in the 81^st minute, solidifying victory with a 4-1 result.
 
The Golden Knights led in shots (22-15) and corner kicks (13-4), while both teams recorded six shots on net.
 
The Rock will resume play 3 p.m. Saturday when they host No. 20 Mercyhurst University at James Egli Field. Slippery Rock fell to the Lakers, 3-1, earlier this year on the road. Saturday will also feature Slippery Rock's celebration of Senior Day.




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