Slippery Rock University Athletics

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team won a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament game for the first time in nine years thanks to a 55^th-minute goal from Aashi Pandher and a shutout by Adam Davies in a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Seton Hill University Monday at James Egli Field.
 
Pandher became SRU's 12^th different goalscorer of the season, recording his first goal of the year and the third of his career with the unassisted game-winner.
 
Slippery Rock's victory also marked head coach Kevin Wilhelm's first career postseason win. Slippery Rock last won a home playoff game in a 1-0 decision versus California (Pa.) in 2015, which kickstarted a run that resulted in hoisting the PSAC Championship trophy.
 
Pandher's goal was the only shot that Slippery Rock took in the second half, fending off 10 shots in the last 40 minutes to log a third shutout of its 2024 campaign.
 
Rasmus Fugl led The Rock with three shots, playing the full 90 minutes up front. Pandher, Aitor Jorde and Arturo Pla Hernandis rounded out SRU's six shots with one each, as Pla Hernandis took Slippery Rock's only other shot on goal.
 
Davies made three saves in net, peppered by 15 total Seton Hill shots. Monday's result marks the fifth shutout of his career.
 
The Griffins found a slight edge in momentum toward the end of the first half, but the two sides played an otherwise evenly matched 45 minutes to begin the game. Both teams landed one of their five respective shots on target with SRU taking the first half's lone corner kick in the 18^th minute.
 
Seton Hill took three shots in the final 4:12 and forced one of Davies' saves but had to settle for a 0-0 scoreline at halftime.
 
Jack Smith made one of the best plays defensively all day for Slippery Rock in the 50^th minute, recording a team save when he filled a void in the net to block a shot against Nils Heinrich and keep the Griffins from scoring.
 
Just 5:16 later, Pandher finished off an incredible run that featured the sophomore weaving through a crowd of Seton Hill defenders by sneaking the ball underneath a diving Seton Hill goalkeeper. That gave Slippery Rock a 1-0 lead in the 55^th minute that it refused to surrender.
 
The Griffins responded by firing an unanswered nine shots and winning three corner kicks. SRU's defense – which was comprised of Will Harrigan, Gabin Lonjard, Colton Spence and Shaun Spencer – turned seven shots in the final 6:13 aside to cling to its lead.
 
Davies made a final save with 1:17 left on the clock against SHU's Julian Marker, who led the Griffins with five shots and three looks on target.
 
Seton Hill outshot Slippery Rock, 15-6. The Griffins also amassed advantages in shots on goal (4-2) and corner kicks (3-1), but The Rock held on for the historic victory. Jonathan Leary made one stop in net for SHU.
 
Slippery Rock's game being played at James Egli Field marked SRU's first PSAC Tournament victory in the venue's history.
 
The Rock will continue their quest for a conference title 12 p.m. Friday when they travel to the PSAC East's top-seeded Bloomsburg University Huskies. BU was ranked 13^th nationally in last week's United Soccer Coaches poll.





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