GREENWOOD, S.C. – The 21st-ranked Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team suffered its first loss of the season with a 10-9 overtime defeat Saturday at Lander University.
 
The Rock slip to 5-1 on the year and close out their three-game South Carolina trip with a 2-1 record. Lander improves to 7-2 on the year.
 
The Bearcats took advantage of numerous SRU penalties and fouls throughout the game, including on both the tying and game-winning goals. Lander tied the game at 9-9 with its third woman-up goal of the game coming on a free position shot with 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter and won it with another free position attempt on the first possession of overtime. The game-winner marked the only time all day that Lander led the game as SRU scored the first goal and never trailed.
 
Slippery Rock had a chance to win the game in the closing seconds of regulation, but a free position shot attempt from Reagan Richeson was saved with 14 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
 
The Rock finished with advantages of 25-16 in shots, 13-9 in draw controls and 16-14 in caused turnovers. Lander managed a 16-14 edge in ground balls. Both teams had four failed clears with SRU going 15-of-19 and Lander going 20-of-24. The biggest differences on the stat sheet came in goalie saves and penalties. The Bearcats got nine saves from goalie Kara Krusbe, while SRU finished with three saves. The Rock were carded eight times for a total of 12 minutes in penalties, which included two yellow cards to midfielder Leora Owings, forcing her to leave the game with 10:29 to play in the fourth. Lander was carded once for two minutes.
 
Isabella Buono led the SRU attack with three points with two goals and one assist. Abby Fink and Sydney Ulmer each scored two goals, while Owings, Richeson and Ava Dossier each scored one goal and handed out one assist. Maddie Blazey capped the point scorers with one assist.
 
Amelia Nitsche led the defense with a season-high five caused turnovers and five ground balls. Nicole Masi added four caused turnovers and Owings and Paige Jenkins each had two. Owings also led SRU with five draw controls.
 
Ava Drath made one save and ended up taking the loss, allowing the final three goals of the game after coming on in relief of Lily Ventresca with 12:27 to play in the fourth quarter. Ventresca made two saves and allowed seven goals before leaving the game with SRU leading 8-7.
 
Izzy Olson tallied the game-winning goal and finished with two assists to lead the Lander attack. Krusbe was the standout player for the Bearcats with nine saves keeping her team.
 
The Rock will now shift their focus to the PSAC West schedule and will play a fifth straight road game next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Gannon University.
 
 

 
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