SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Behind a record-setting day from Gianna Conti, the Slippery Rock University field hockey team beat D'Youville University, 6-2, Wednesday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
The non-conference win improves The Rock's record to 3-10 overall while D'Youville exits SRU at 5-8.
 
In what was SRU's most convincing win of the season, Conti led the attack by tallying nine points on four goals and one assist. The offensive onslaught from Conti, which also included a team-best five shots, tied both The Rock's single-game goals and assists records.
 
Conti joins Jessie Trube (2019 vs. Frostburg State) and Leslie Colliver (2023 vs. Roberts Wesleyan) as the only three athletes in program history to compile nine points in a game. Conti, Trube, Colliver and Debbie Pluck (1974 vs. Kent State) now share Slippery Rock's single-game goals record as well.
 
With three games remaining in the season, Conti now leads Slippery Rock with 19 points via eight goals and three assists.
 
Hilary Hoffman also had a great all-around performance with one goal, two assists and four shots on goal. Madison Shomo added a goal as well with her second of the year. Rounding out The Rock's point scorers in the triumph was Bailee Christman, who assisted on Conti's third goal.
 
Shomo and Christman both notched multiple shots on goal. Shomo sent three at the cage and Christman placed a pair on target. Roz Mikulak, Christina Clymer and Hazara Sandhu each had one shot on goal.
 
Defensively, goalkeeper Grace Burker made one save while earning her 21st career victory. She is now one win away from becoming The Rock's second winningest goalie of all-time. Slippery Rock did not allow single D'Youville shot until the second half.
 
SRU got going early with a pair of Conti goals, both of which came off Hoffman assists, in the fourth and 18th minutes. Conti proceeded to capture the program's 18th career hat trick with another goal in the 19th minute to send the game into halftime with The Rock leading 3-0.
 
D'Youville ended Slippery Rock's shutout bid with a Erica Prible goal just 51 seconds into the third quarter. However, any hopes of comeback were quickly dashed as Shomo and Conti stretched SRU's lead out to 5-1 with goals at 31:20 and 33:03, respectively.
 
The game ended with the Saints and Slippery Rock trading fourth-quarter goals when Madisyn Grawl added DYU's second goal of the game in the 55th minute before Hoffman closed out the home victory courtesy of her third goal of the campaign in the 58th minute to seal the 6-2 win.  
 
Slippery Rock held commanding team advantages over the Saints in total shots (25-4), shots on goal (16-3) and penalty corners (11-1). SRU's total shots and shots on goal totals were both season-highs.
 
SRU now turns its focus to Friday's 2 p.m. home finale against No. 2 Kutztown University at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
 


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