SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University field hockey team was unable to stave off a late rally by Indiana University (Pa.) in a 2-1 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference loss Tuesday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
The setback moves The Rock's record to 2-5 overall and 1-2 inside the PSAC while the Crimson Hawks exit SRU at 2-5 overall and 1-1 in league competition.
Slippery Rock was led by the duo of
Madison Shomo and
Gianna Conti. Shomo registered her first goal of the season with Conti assisting on the score for what was her team-best 10th point of 2024.
The pair also accounted for five of SRU's six shots. Conti recorded three attempts with Shomo securing two shots – both of which were on goal.
Christina Clymer was responsible for Slippery Rock's remaining shot.
Goalkeeper
Grace Burker played all 60 minutes for The Rock, making three saves and allowing both IUP goals.
The cliché of "a tale of two halves" held true for Tuesday's game as Slippery Rock largely dominated the opening 30 minutes only for Indiana to take control for the third and fourth quarters.
Slippery Rock, which maintained possession for much of the first quarter and outshot the visitors 5-0 through the first 15 minutes, opened the scoring courtesy of Shomo's goal in the 14th minute as she rebounded Conti's deflected shot into an open cage to give SRU the 1-0 advantage.
The Rock were unable to increase their lead in the second quarter and headed into the halftime break with the one-goal lead.
However, the remainder of the game belonged the Crimson Hawks, who first tied the game on a Jess Davidson goal 1:15 into the third quarter followed by Cassie Romanczuk's game-winning strike in the 58th minute.
After recording five shots in the first quarter, Slippery Rock was held to just one attempt – a Shomo shot that was saved in the 49th minute – over the final three quarters. IUP meanwhile produced nine of its 10 shots in the second half.
As a team, Indiana held advantages over The Rock in total shots (10-6), shots on goal (5-3) and penalty corners (8-2). Backup goalkeeper Brooke Eberly earned the win after making one save for IUP after coming on for starter Anita Planella at halftime.
Slippery Rock returns to the road for back-to-back games starting 3 p.m. Friday at Millersville University.
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