SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University field hockey team lost to third-ranked West Chester University, 3-0, Saturday in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference opener at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The loss drops The Rock's record to 2-5 overall while the nationally ranked Golden Rams improve to 5-2 overall and 1-0 in league contests.
 
Hilary Hoffman paced The Rock's offensive efforts with a pair of shots on goal while Haley Metcalf placed an attempt on target as well. SRU goalkeeper Grace Burker made five saves while playing all 60 minutes Saturday.
 
Slippery Rock opened the game as the aggressors with an early shot and a three-on-one breakaway. However, West Chester managed to fend off the upset-minded Rock to maintain the scoreless tie through the game's first seven minutes.
 
Defensively, SRU successfully cleared West Chester's opening four shots of the game before the Golden Rams were finally able to breakthrough when Jasmine Miller, the nation's leading goal scorer, deflected a shot past Burker to the back of the cage for a goal at 7:26.
 
West Chester took a 2-0 lead into halftime after Mikenna Price converted a goal off a penalty corner in the 26th minutes.
 
Miller collected her second score of the game just 63 seconds into the second half, giving WCU a 3-0 lead it would never relinquish on the way to its three-goal victory.
 
Paige Wolfe assisted on all three West Chester goals while starting goalkeeper Emerie Loftis stopped two shots over 45 minutes before giving way to backup Alina Burger, who made one save in the fourth quarter.
 
For the game, West Chester held advantages over The Rock in total shots (18-3), shots on goal (8-3) and penalty corners (8-1).
 
Slippery Rock continues its PSAC slate 7 p.m. Sept. 26 on the road at Indiana University (Pa.).




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