SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team fell behind early and could not make up the difference in an 81-40 loss to No. 23 Gannon University Wednesday at Morrow Field House.
 
Slippery Rock's seventh straight loss drops The Rock to 7-15 on the season and 4-12 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference competition. The nationally ranked Golden Knights snapped a two-game slide with the result, improving to 21-5 overall and 13-4 inside the PSAC.
 
Sophia Hook led SRU with nine points and four rebounds. Hannah Pugliese added six points from a 6-of-6 effort at the free throw line. Pugliese also contributed two assists, one steal and one rebound.
 
Anye Washington posted five points and a team-leading two steals. Rebecca Goetz and Endya Robinson both tallied four points and two rebounds apiece. Mairan Haggerty snatched four points and three rebounds, as Brooklyn Jones coupled three points with four rebounds.
 
Ava Darney (3 points), Alyssa Gillin (2 points, 1 rebound, 1 block), Deryn Moye (3 rebounds, 2 steals), Kayley Joseph-Bernard (2 rebounds, 1 steal) and Hallie Raabe (1 rebound) rounded out SRU's efforts.
 
A layup from Goetz 5:47 into the first quarter got Slippery Rock on the board and ended a 17-0 run that Gannon began the game with. GU sank five 3-pointers in seven shots from beyond the arc (71.4 percent) and held SRU to just two made field goals to take a 25-5 stronghold into the second quarter.
 
Slippery Rock held Gannon to just 13 points in the second but mustered just nine itself, trailing 38-14 at the half. Hook scored all nine of her points in a third quarter of play in which GU outscored Slippery Rock, 20-19, to extend its advantage to 58-33.
 
Gannon began the fourth quarter with another 17-0 run, running out to a 75-33 lead at the final media timeout. The Golden Knights increased that to 19-0 before Haggerty hit a jumper with 2:32 left in the game. The Rock were outscored 23-7 through the last 10 minutes in the 41-point loss.
 
The Rock shot 27.5 percent (14-of-51) overall and 18.8 percent (3-of-16) from the 3-point arc. SRU fared well at the foul line, making 9-of-11 (81.8 percent). SRU left the ballgame with a -5 rebounding margin (35-30) and a -7 difference in turnovers (24-17).
 
Gannon shot 54.2 percent (32-of-59) from the field including 47.8 percent (11-of-23) from the perimeter. GU also went 6-for-7 at the free throw line (85.7 percent). Kate Ratliff led the Golden Knights with 19 points and five steals, while Bri Claxon registered a strong performance of 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
SRU will travel to Pitt-Johnstown 1 p.m. Saturday in what is virtually a must-win game for The Rock's postseason hopes. Slippery Rock picked up a 71-58 win over the Mountain Cats Jan. 6 at home.





To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official athletic communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).