SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team fell in a 64-50 result to Salem University in a non-conference joust Thursday at home.
 
The Rock fell to 0-5 overall to open the season, with their 0-2 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference unphased. The Tigers improved to 3-8 to begin their year.
 
True freshman Regan Atkins excelled again with 14 points, two steals, two assists and a block while playing the full 40 minutes for the first time in her career. She also joined both Tori Johnson and Kaylin Venick in controlling a team-high five rebounds.
 
Kristina Donza also contributed 14 points offensively. She made the most of her trips to the free throw line, shooting a perfect 7-of-7 for the first time in her career from the stripe.
 
Anye Washington registered eight points, two rebounds and an assist in her Morrow Field House debut. Deryn Moye matched her career-high with four rebounds, adding a pair of points and an assist as well.
 
Gabby Jackson gave SRU its first bucket to open up a 2-0 lead, but it would end up being the only advantage for the Green and White all night. After allowing a 14-2 run through the following eight minutes, The Rock found themselves in an uphill battle, trailing 16-9 at the end of the opening quarter.
 
Consistent free throw shooting from Slippery Rock brought the difference to as little as three in the second quarter. However, Salem's accuracy from the floor was able to keep the Tigers in front through the remainder of the half, holding a 32-22 grasp over SRU at intermission.
 
The Rock produced their largest offensive output in the third quarter with 17, despite allowing 21 points from the opposition. Already down by a 52-39 margin, Slippery Rock was able to hold steady through the final frame as each team tallied 11 points. Atkins and Donza brightened up the court in the second half, combining for 19 of Slippery Rock's 28 points (68 percent).
 
Salem was also led by a duo of scorers with 14 points, as Anete Bluma found herself one rebound shy of a double-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Anna Machykova came off the bench to score 14 points and grabbed three rebounds.
 
Slippery Rock concluded with a field goal percentage of 30.9 percent, shooting 17-of-55 from the court. Salem countered with a solid 47.2 percent, converting 25-of-53 from play. Despite the Tigers shooting the 3-pointer at a 34.5 percent clip coming into the match, The Rock held them to just 22.2 percent (4-of-18) on the night. SRU made 3-of-23 (13 percent) from beyond the arc.
 
Both teams had great showings from the charity stripe, with SRU making a season-high 81.3 percent (13-of-16) and the Tigers going 83.3 percent (10-of-12). Perhaps Salem's largest winning factor, though, was its defense, outrebounding The Rock, 39-29, and holding an 8-1 stronghold in blocks.
 
Slippery Rock will be back in action by hosting PSAC East members Shepherd University 3 p.m. Monday and Shippensburg University 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Rock ousted the Rams of Shepherd a year ago, 73-57, and fell to the Red Raiders of Shippensburg, 92-70.



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