SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University field hockey team concludes its 2024 season this week with a pair of 2 p.m. away games Tuesday against Mercyhurst and Friday at Bloomsburg.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Video and in-game statistics for both games will be available at the below links.
 
GAME 15 DETAILS
Opponent: Mercyhurst University
Date: Tuesday – 2 p.m.
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Venue: Saxon Stadium
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: X (formerly Twitter)
All-Time Series: MU leads 20-11
Last Played: Oct. 24, 2023 (SRU won 2-0)
 
SERIES HISTORY
While Mercyhurst does hold a 20-11 all-time record against The Rock, SRU has controlled the series of late with seven victories over the Lakers in the last eight matches dating back 2016. Slippery Rock brings a four-game winning streak in the series with MU last defeating SRU in 2018.
 
Rock goalkeeper Grace Burker is a perfect 3-0 over her career against Mercyhurst. She's surrendered just two goals to the Lakers while making 17 saves.
 
Bailee Christman and Madison Shomo have each scored twice in previous meetings with Mercyhurst with Christman also adding an assist. Leslie Colliver rounds out active Rock athletes with a goal against Mercyhurst – she scored once as part of a 5-1 SRU win in 2021.
 
LAST MEETING
Shomo scored two goals and Burker made six saves in a 2-0 shutout victory for The Rock on May 24, 2023 at Mercyhurst. Shomo posted goals in the 43rd and 55th minutes courtesy of assists by Colliver and Christman.
 
GAME 16 DETAILS
Opponent: Bloomsburg
Date: Friday – 2 p.m.
Location: Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Venue: Steph Pettit Stadium
Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: X (formerly Twitter)
All-Time Series: Bloomsburg leads 48-3
Last Played: Oct. 27, 2023 (Bloom won 3-2)
 
SERIES HISTORY
Bloomsburg is 48-3 against The Rock in a series that can be traced back to 1983. The more recent history between Slippery Rock and Huskies has been much closer as the previous three games in the series have been one-goal matchups with SRU taking the 2021 game (3-2) followed by Bloomsburg wins in 2022 (2-1) and 2023 (3-2).
 
Four current Rock athletes have tallied points against Bloomsburg. Christman and Hilary Hoffman lead the way at three points (one goal / one assist) while Colliver has one assist and Gianna Conti has scored one goal previously.
 
Burker is 1-2 against Bloomsburg with 17 saves and seven goals allowed through 180 minutes.
 
LAST MEETING
Slippery Rock battled back from a three-goal first quarter deficit, but couldn't quite complete its comeback bid in an eventual 3-2 loss to No. 4 Bloomsburg Oct. 27, 2023 at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Hoffman scored one goal and assisted on another – a strike by Conti – to lead The Rock.
 

TEAM COMPARISON
Stats	ROCK	LAKERS	HUSKIES
Overall Record	3-11	0-12	12-4
Goals*	1.43	0.42	3.31
Opp. Goals*	2.93	5.17	1.00
Goal Differential	-21	-57	+37
Shots*	9.4	2.8	16.2
Opp. Shots*	15.1	27.9	9.8
SOG*	5.9	2.1	9.6
Opp. SOG*	8.7	19.4	4.9
Corners*	5.7	1.6	8.5
Opp. Corners*	9.4	14.5	5.8
Saves*	5.8	14.2	3.9
* Per game stats

SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Stats: Link
Roster: Link
Overall Record: 3-11
PSAC Record: 0-8 (10th)
Home Record: 2-5
Away Record: 1-6
Streak: L1
Last 5 Games: 1-4
Head Coach: Rayell Wallace | Fifth season at SRU (21-43)
 
ROCK LEADERS
POINTS: Gianna Conti (19), Bailee Christman (9)
GOALS: Conti (8), Christman (3)
ASSISTS: Hoffman (4)
S.O.G.: Conti (21), Hoffman (15), Christman (15)
SAVES: Grace Burker (69)
 
LAST WEEK RECAP
Slippery Rock played its final two home games of the regular season last week, defeating D'Youville, 6-2, in non-conference competition followed by a close Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference defeat at the hands of No. 2 Kutztown, 2-1.
 
RECORD DAY FOR CONTI
As part of a 6-2 victory over D'Youville, Conti recorded nine points on four goals and one assist to tie SRU's single-game records in both total points and goals. Conti, who needed just five total shots in the offensive onslaught, produced a hat trick in the game's first 19 minutes before scoring once more and assisting on another Rock goal in the second half.
 
Her hat trick was the fastest to begin a game in documented program history.
 
With just two games left in her collegiate career, the senior forward out of Haddonfield, New Jersey leads SRU with 19 points on eight goals and three assists while having placed 21 of her 26 attempts on target.
 
SAME FACES, NEW PLACES
While no longer a conference game, Tuesday's bout against Mercyhurst marks the 19th consecutive year in which SRU and MU have played. Formerly a member of the PSAC, Mercyhurst announced its decision at the end of the 2023-24 academic year to move up to Division I where it now competes in the Northeast Conference. 10 of Mercyhurst's 21-athlete roster this year – nine of which are starters - were with the Lakers in 2023.
 
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Dating back to the 2010 season, Slippery Rock holds a commanding 41-23 (.640) record against non-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams. SRU is 15-12 in non-conference games under head coach Rayell Wallace.
 
SRU is 3-3 in non-conference games this season with wins over Frostburg State, Adelphi and D'Youville in addition to losses against Pace, Shippensburg and Newberry.
 
CLOSE CALLS
While its 3-11 record is not the season Slippery Rock had hoped for, SRU has only been clearly over matched in two games this season. Aside from a 10-1 loss to Shippensburg and a 6-2 setback vs. West Chester, The Rock has played the rest of its schedule tight including six outings that resulted in one-goal losses.
 
DEFENSE CONTINUES TO GET IT DONE
Slippery Rock continued its lengthy string of solid defensive performances last week by holding both D'Youville and Kutztown to two goals each. SRU has yielded more than two goals in a game just once over its last eight appearances.
 
Burker leads the defense with 69 saves, a .627 save percentage and a 2.92 Goals Against Average.
 
SRU has also been credited with 12 defensive saves – the fifth highest single-season total in program history. Christina Clymer has accounted for half of those stops followed by Sammy Graci (2), Roz Mikulak (2), Haley Metcalf (1) and Christman (1).
 
A VETERAN ATTACK
Of The Rock's 20 goals scored this season, 12 have come from SRU's senior class in Conti (8), Christman (3) and Colliver (1).
 
Seniors have also accrued nine of the team's 15 assists thanks to Conti (3), Christman (3), Colliver (2) and Metcalf (1).
 
BIG GAME FOR HOFFMAN
Another highlight from the D'Youville win was the play of Hoffman, who had a hand in three of The Rock's scores in a four-point day that featured one goal and two assists.
 
The game marked the second game of Hoffman's two-year career in which she has produced at least one goal and one assist – she also had one goal and one assist last year vs. Bloomsburg.
 
On the year, Hoffman has eight points by way of two goals and four assists to go with 16 shots on goal.
 
SHOMO GETS BACK ON THE BOARD
With her second-half goal against D'Youville, Shomo broke a personal five-game goalless streak on the way to her second score of the season. In doing so she became The Rock's fourth multi-goal scorer in 2024.
 
ALSO ON THE ATTACK
Rounding out Slippery Rock's offensive targets this season are Graci, Hazara Sandhu, Feli Stockler and Grace Williams.
 
At four points with one goal and two assists, Sandhu is tied for fourth on The Rock in points while Graci, Stockler and Williams have scored one goal apiece.
 
CONSTANTS ON THE FIELD
With two games left in the campaign, six Rock athletes have started all 14 contests in Clymer, Metcalf, Burker, Conti, Christman and Megan Rude. Additionally, Mikulak, Hoffman and Riley Cloude have been starters in 13 games.
 
WINS vs. NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS
Since the 2010 season, Slippery Rock has won nine games against nationally ranked teams. The Rock's previous wins against nationally ranked teams include victories against Kutztown (2017 / No. 5), West Chester (2017 / No. 3), East Stroudsburg (2014 / No. 5), Bloomsburg (2013 / No. 7), Indiana (2011 / No. 6, 2010 / No. 7, 2010 / No. 8) and LIU Post (2010 / No. 5).
 
The Huskies, which are currently ranked fourth in the nation, will no doubt be ranked when The Rock makes the trip to Bloomsburg Friday (weekly NFHCA polls are released on Tuesday).
 
CAREER RECORDS WATCH
Points (No. 8-10)
8: Christine Peuplie (1984-88); 44
9: Kailee Krupski (2014-17); 43)
t10: Gianna Conti: 40
t10: Jane Machuga (1975-78); 40
t10: Dina Pezzimenti (1989-92); 40
 
Goals (No. 7-11)
7: Christine Peuplie (1984-88); 21
t8. Jane Machuga (1975-78); 20
t8. Dina Pezzimenti (1989-92); 20
t8. Lindsay Brown (2011-13): 20
11: Gianna Conti: 18
 
Assists
1. Megan McKay (2013-16): 15
2. Allie Hartman (2007-10): 14
3. Samantha Griffith (2001-02): 13
t4. Leslie Colliver: 11
t4. Kayla Del Vecchio (2019-24): 11
t4. Kailee Krupski (2014-17): 11
t4. Gabrielle Malishchak (2009-12): 11
 
Saves
1. Lisa Belcastro (2007-10): 689
2. Tara Bailey (2003-06): 627
3. Grace Burker: 379
 
Goalie Wins
1. Judith Johns (1986-89): 33
2. Kerry McKnight (1996-99): 23
3. Grace Burker: 21
 
MERCYHURST PRIMER
Stats: Link
Roster: Link
Overall Record: 0-12
NEC Record: 0-7 (9th)
Home Record: 0-4
Away Record: 0-8
Streak: L12
Last 5 Games: 0-5
Head Coach: Mackenzie Hadfield | Second season at MU (2-26)
 
LAKER LEADERS
POINTS: Rachel Kosowski (4), Marina Evert (3)
GOALS: Kosowski (2)
ASSISTS: Evert (1), Catherine Hudak (1)
S.O.G.: Kosowski (10), Evert (4)
SAVES: Kayla Desormeau (152)
 
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
• Mercyhurst's transition to the Division I ranks has been a rough one this season, as the Lakers enter Tuesday's game in search of their first win of the year at 0-12 overall.
 
• Rachel Kosowski has accounted for two of Mercyhurst's five goals and 10 of 25 shots on goal this season.
 
• The trio of Marina Evert, Delfina Magro and Lola Williams have tallied Mercyhurst's other three goals. Evert and Catherine Hudak have earned assists as well.
 
• Like Burker, Laker goalie Kayla Desormeau has played every second this season. She's made 152 stops with a .710 save percentage and 5.16 GAA.
 
• As a team, Mercyhurst averages 0.42 goals, 2.8 shots and 1.6 penalty corners per game while allowing 5.17 goals, 27.9 shots and 14.5 corners a contest.  
 
BLOOMSBURG PRIMER
Stats: Link
Roster: Link
NFHCA Top-10: 4th
Overall Record: 12-4
PSAC Record: 4-3 (4th)
Home Record: 6-1
Away Record: 6-3
Streak: W1
Last 5 Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Nikki Hartranft | 14th season at Bloom (165-98)
 
HUSKIES LEADERS
POINTS: Aydan McFarland (43), Kara Koch (18)
GOALS: McFarland (18), Genna Bush / Kate Ferguson (7)
ASSISTS: Koch (8), McFarland (7)
S.O.G.: McFarland (42), Bella Culp (21)
SAVES: Jackie Nevel (57)
 
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
• Bloomsburg is led by the nation's second-leading scorer in Aydan McFarland. Heading into the Huskies' game on Tuesday against Mansfield, McFarland had totaled 43 point 18 goals and seven assists.
 
• Supplementing McFarland's offense for a Bloomsburg team which ranks fifth in the nation in goals per game is the trio of Kate Ferguson (7), Genna Bush (7) and Kara Kosh (5) – all of whom have at least five goals on the campaign. Koch also sets up the attack with a team-high eight assists.
 
• Defensively, goalkeeper Jackie Nevel has played all but 14 minutes in 2024 on the way to allowing just 16 goals (1.00 GAA) and making 57 saves on a .781 percentage. Meg Barnard has chipped in three defensive saves as well.
 
• As they close in on clinching a berth into the PSAC Tournament, Bloomsburg opens the week with per game averages of 3.31 goals, 16.2 shots and 8.5 corners all the while limiting opponents to 1.00 goals a contest via 9.8 shots and 5.9 corners.





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