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 vs. Indiana (Pa.)
The Rock (3-2-0, 2-1-0)	Crimson Hawks (1-1-1, 1-1-0)
Roster	Roster
Schedule	Schedule
Statistics	Statistics
Coach Jessica Giegucz	Coach Noreen Herlihy
Program Records	Program Records
James Egli Field
PSAC Standings
PSAC Leaders
PSAC Schedule

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team will play Indiana University (Pa.) in its first of three straight home games 12 p.m. Saturday at James Egli Field.
 
After suffering a 5-0 road loss to Mercyhurst University Sept. 13, The Rock enter Saturday's contest 3-2 overall and 2-1 while playing in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division. IUP enters the match 1-1-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

RING OF HONOR WEEKEND
This weekend marks the return of the Slippery Rock Ring of Honor. Established in 2011, the SRU Ring of Honor recognizes past significant contributors from both the men's and women's soccer programs.
 
The 2023 induction class consists of Blair Gantz, Juliana Mione, Tobias Bowser, Anthony Paganie, Thomas Priester and the 1974 PSAC champion men's soccer team. The group will be formally inducted in a ceremony Friday at the Russell Wright Alumni House & Conference Center. Gantz and Mione will also be recognized at halftime of Saturday's game.
 
To read more about the 2023 Ring of Honor Click HERE.

WATCH ON YOUR TV - "ROCK ATHLETICS DIGITAL NETWORK" APPS
• Fans can watch Saturday'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 RV, 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 6 of 18
Opponent: Indiana (Pa.)
Date: Saturday — 12 p.m.
Venue: James Egli Field
Location: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Lnk
In-game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)

SERIES HISTORY VS. INDIANA (Pa.)
Saturday will mark the 44^th meeting between The Rock and the Crimson Hawks, a series that Slippery Rock leads 22-17-4 (.558). While at home, Slippery Rock has a 13-6-2 (.667) edge over IUP. Of the last six home games against Indiana, Slippery Rock has gone 5-0-1, not having lost at home in the series since 2013. A year ago, the two sides drew to a 2-2 knot at James Egli Field.  

LAST MEETING
Slippery Rock traveled to IUP Oct. 10, 2022, playing to a 1-1 draw. Libby Zacharyasz scored her first career goal in the 19^th minute, rebounding a header in past the left post. The Rock led in shots at halftime, 11-6. IUP pressured for most of the second half and finally broke through in the 87^th minute on a rebound goal by Kristen Finnerty. The Rock had an opportunity in the 88^th minute on a corner, but a rebounded shot was flagged down for offsides, effectively ending the match.

THE ROCK BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Record: 3-2-0 (.600)
PSAC West Record: 2-1-0
PSAC West Standings: t-2nd
Home Record: 2-0-0
Away Record: 1-2-0 
Last Five Games: 3-2-0
Streak: L1
Head Coach: Jessica Giegucz | Ninth season at SRU (86-40-17, .661)

LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock fell on the road to Mercyhurst on Wednesday, 5-0. SRU was outshot in the match, 10-7. Sydney Patrick led the offense with two shots. Faith Diffenbacher, Bailey McGee, Skylar Munnikhuysen and Morgan Sarver each recorded one of the team's four shots on goal.

THE ROCK ATTACK
Through five games, Slippery Rock's offensive attack has been led by Patrick with a PSAC-best 10 points on three goals and four assists.
 
Sarver is second on the team in total points with eight courtesy of two goals and a team-high matching four assists. Sarver and Patrick are tied for the PSAC lead in total assists. 
 
Ashley Rea and Olivia Yoder have each tallied one goal and one assist for three points while Diffenbacher, Munnikhuysen, Maddie DeLucio, Sophia Palermo, Lindsey Price and Briona Rice have all accounted for one goal each.

Nina King rounds out SRU's point scorers with one assist.

A HISTORY OF REBOUNDING
Slippery Rock has not lost consecutive games in the same season since 2018, when it fell to Seton Hill University and East Stroudsburg University by scores of 2-1 and 2-0, respectively. Since then, Slippery Rock has played 73 matches.
 
Looking even further back, Slippery Rock has not followed up its first PSAC West loss of the year with another loss since 2010, when The Rock fell to No. 12 West Chester University, 3-0, and Bloomsburg University, 2-1.

DEFENDING HOME SOIL
SRU will be seeking its first 3-0 start while playing at home since 2018 when it rattled off wins against No. 22 West Virginia Wesleyan College, Mansfield University and Edinboro. The Rock also began its 2012 season 3-0 in home games.
 
In 2007, Slippery Rock ran the table, putting up a 12-0 record while playing on its home campus, a season that would not end until the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Key to Slippery Rock's defense this season are Diffenbacher, Zacharyasz, Nina King and Brooke Riefenstahl, who all have yet to miss a minute of play.

LOTS OF SHOTS
With an additional shot against Mercyhurst, Sarver is up to 32 attempts on the year, despite being just five games in. The program record for most shots in a single season is 80, set by Ashley Paganie in 2009. Patrick and DeLucio are tied for second on the team this season in total shots with 13 apiece.
 
Last season, Rea put up 67 shots, which was the ninth highest single-season total in SRU history.
 
KEEPING TABS ON THE PSAC
Slippery Rock leads the conference in shots and shots per game, with 115 total, 23 per match. Previously third in the nation in shots per game, Slippery Rock is now ranked ninth in Division II.
 
KEEPING IT CLEAN
Along with IUP, Kutztown University and West Chester, Slippery Rock is one of only four teams in the PSAC to have been shown just one yellow card on the season. The lone yellow came in the 81^st minute against Fairmont State University, The Rock's second game of the season.
 
NOT CUTTING CORNERS
SRU continues to take advantage of opportunities to draw corner kicks, having taken 43 on the season, the most in Division II. In the PSAC West, Mercyhurst has taken the second most corners with 27. On the season total, Slippery Rock has only allowed eight corners from the opposition.

FRESH GOALIE GLOVES
Brianna Matteson, a sophomore transfer from Division I Rider University, made her Slippery Rock debut against Mercyhurst. Matteson came into the game to relieve Leah Allman, playing the final 24 minutes of the match.
 
Allman, who came into the loss against Mercyhurst after compiling her first two career shutouts, faced a career-high nine shots against the Lakers. Entering Saturday's match with IUP, her GAA is 1.53, and her save percentage, .588. Allman has made 10 saves this year.

ACTIVE SRU ROSTER vs. INDIANA
Riefenstahl: (2 goals, 0 assists)
Patrick: (1 goal, 1 assist)
Zacharyasz: (1 goal, 0 assists)
 
WELCOME BACK, COACH
IUP head coach Noreen Herlihy will make her return to James Egli Field Saturday. The two-year head coach for the Crimson Hawks served as Slippery Rock's head coach from 1995-2014.
 
In Herlihy's 20 years with The Rock, she amassed a record of 250-113-30 (.674) and is the winningest women's soccer coach in program history. At the conclusion of her time with SRU, Herlihy had won three PSAC championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament nine times. She was the 11^th coach in Division II history to hit the 250-win mark.

THE CRIMSON HAWKS BY THE NUMBERS
Overall Record: 1-1-1 (.500)
PSAC West Record: 1-1-0
PSAC West Standings: t-5th
Home Record: 1-0-1
Away Record: 0-1-0
Last Five Games: 2-1-2
Streak: W1
Head Coach: Noreen Hilerhy| Second season at IUP (6-5-9, .525)

INDIANA SCOUTING REPORT
The Crimson Hawks enter Saturday with a 1-1-1 record and a 1-1-0 shwoing in the PSAC West. It took IUP until its third game of the season to gain its first win with a 3-2 triumph Wednesday against Pitt-Johnstown.
 
IUP began the year by falling on the road to PSAC West foes Clarion, 3-2. The Crimson Hawks then fought to a 2-2 draw with Saint Michael's College Sept. 9.
 
Despite their 1-1-1 record, the Crimson Hawks are fourth in the PSAC in goals per game (2.33), scoring at least two in each match so far this season.  
 
Freshman Elle Smith has already stockpiled her first seven collegiate points, leading the team with three goals and one assist. Smith is third in the PSAC in shots with 16. As a team, IUP has outshot opponents this year 47-41.
 
Finnerty has collected five points on two goals and one assist. The veteran leadership continues for IUP with fellow seniors Rachel Onderko and Hannah Scardina being credited with the team's other two goals on the year, each with one.
 
Goalkeeper Vanessa Berlin has played all three games for the Crimson Hawks this season, with 14 saves. She enters Saturday's game with a GAA of 2.33 and a save percentage of .667.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Rock will remain at home for the next two games, first playing Edinboro 4 p.m. Sept. 20 at James Egli Field. Slippery Rock swept the Fighting Scots in 2022 by scores of 1-0 and 2-0.




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