SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team opens the road at No. 16 Ashland 6:30 p.m. Saturday in its season opener.
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Fans can watch Saturdays' game live on Flo Sports via the links below provided by Ashland Athletic Communications. Flo Sports is a subscription-based video streaming platform.
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HERE.
GAME 1 of 16
Opponent: Ashland
Date: Saturday – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Ashland, Ohio
Venue: Ferguson Field
Live Video: Flo Sports
Live Stats: Ashland Athletic Communications
In-Game Updates: X (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: 3-2, Ashland
Current Streak: L3
Last Played: Oct. 9, 2024 (Ashland won 1-0)
SERIES HISTORY
Slippery Rock took on No. 4 Ashland under the lights at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium last season in their fifth meeting all-time and first since 1999. The Rock took the first two matchups of the series, including a 2-0 win when the Eagles were No. 23 in the nation. Ashland has taken the last three games, which includes last year's 1-0 victory over The Rock.
EXPERIENCE AGAINST ASHLAND
In last years contest against the Eagles, six players on the current roster saw playing time. Goalkeeper
Leah Allman, defenders
Libby Zacharyasz and
Sydney Smith, along with midfielders
Bailey McGee and
Sophia Palermo started against Ashland a year ago, while
Irene Doleno came off the bench for SRU. Allman made seven saves in Slippery Rock's 1-0 defeat.
| TEAM COMPARISON |
| The Rock |
2024 Stats |
Ashland |
| 9-6-4 |
Overall Record |
17-2-2 |
| 8-3-3 |
Conference Record |
12-0-2 |
| 1.8 |
Goals per Game |
2.5 |
| 1.1 |
Opp. Goals per Game |
0.3 |
| +14 |
Season Goal Differential |
+46 |
| 16.3 |
Shots per Game |
16.8 |
| 11.1 |
Opp. Shots per Game |
6.8 |
| 8.3 |
SOG per Game |
7.9 |
| 5.1 |
Opp. SOG per Game |
2.9 |
| 1.6 |
Assists per Game |
2.1 |
| 6.8 |
Corners per Game |
9.0 |
| 7.4 |
Fouls per Game |
6.3 |
| 4.0 |
Saves per Game |
2.6 |
Rock By The Numbers
2024 Overall Record: 9-6-4
2024 PSAC West Record: 8-3-3
2024 Home Record: 3-2-3
2024 Away Record: 6-3-1
2024 PSAC West Rank: 2
nd of 6
Head Coach: Noreen Herlihy | 21
st season overall at SRU (250-113-30, .674)
Alma Mater: Mercyhurst '92
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock finished its 2024 season with a semifinal berth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament, finishing the year 9-6-4 with an 8-3-3 record in conference play.
The Rock won a quarterfinal PSAC Tournament matchup against Indiana University of Pennsylvania, their first PSAC Tournament win since 2019, when they took home the conference crown.
KEY RETURNERS
Slippery Rock is returning 19 of its 28 players from last season, 67.9 percent of the 2024 squad. However, The Rock will need players to step up and replace the scoring lost from last year, as SRU returns only 34.3 percent of goals scored from 2024.
Palermo headlines the Rock returners coming off a season with five goals and three assists in 18 games played, the third most goals on the team. The junior forward from Wexford, Pennnsylvania will be looked upon the lead The Rock up front.
McGee and Zacharyasz will lead the charge in the midfield. McGee, a junior from Aurora, Ohio, was fourth on Slippery Rock in goals with four in 13 games played. McGee also added four assists to the stat sheet in 2024.
Zacharyasz, a defender/midfielder helped lead The Rock to the eighth best total defense in the PSAC last year, and third best in the PSAC West. SRU gave up only 21 goals in 19 games. Zacharyasz chipped in on offense last year with three goals to go along with her leadership on the defensive side of the ball.
2025 TRANSFERS
Slippery Rock brought in three players via the transfer portal to bolster their roster for the 2025 season.
Senior forward
Abigail Koly transferred in from the University of Akron at the Division I level, where she appeared in 12 games for the Zips during the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. Koly began her collegiate career at Bowling Green University where she contributed two goals and one assist to the Falcons 2022 season. Koly is a member of the Puerto Rico senior national team.
Sophomore defender
Addison Kosenina is the lone addition to the back end for The Rock through the portal. Kosenina, an Edinboro transfer, started two games and appeared in 14 total contests. Kosenina played a season-high 51 minutes against Gannon University last season.
Senior forward
Marissa Salisbury, is a former West Virginia University commit.
2025 SRU FRESHMAN CLASS
Name-Position-Hometown (in Pennsylvania unless noted)
Lilia Battalini – Forward – Beaver
Mia Cariola – Defender – Rochester, New York
Kylie Dutkovich – Defender – Pittsburgh
Kate Hillegas – Forward – Pittsburgh
Alyson Kaley – Defender – Reinholds
Miley Kariotis – Midfielder – Lower Burrell
Abby Paterline – Defender/Midfielder/Forward – Murrysville
Kailyn Schulte – Defender – Bath, Ohio
Aubrey Seder – Midfielder – Scottdale
Lillian Snyder – Defender/Midfielder – Coraopolis
Maggie Soehnlen – Midfielder – Canton, Ohio
Eden Williams – Midfielder – Murrysville
Abigail Wolfe – Defender/Midfielder – Greencastle
WELCOME BACK NOREEN
Slippery Rock welcomes back
Noreen Herlihy, the winningest coach in Slippery Rock women's soccer history. Herlihy's 305 wins has her ranked 23
rd nationally in Division II in career wins, 14
th among active coaches. Herlihy is currently four wins away from moving in to 22
nd place on the wins list as Lewis Theobald and Ali Omar sit at 308 wins.
Herlihy is replacing Jessica Gieguczas head coach at The Rock. Giegucz went 104-48-24 at the helm for SRU, making it to the PSAC Tournament in every season, including a PSAC Tournament victory and NCAA Tournament berth in 2019. Giegucz is now the head coach at Dusquene University.
Herlihy is coming from IUP where she led the Crimson Hawks to one of the best season in school history with last year with an 11-3-4 record overall and the teams first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009.
Herlihy starts her second stint at The Rock looking to pick up where she left off in 2014. The Rock reached four NCAA Tournaments in Herlihy's last five seasons.
SEASON OPENER SUCCESS
Slippery Rock holds a 17-12-2 all-time record in season openers. The Rock is 6-7-1 on the road in those contests. The most recent season opener on the road for SRU was last year when The Rock battled to a 1-1 draw against Shepherd University.
2025 PSAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
First-place votes in parentheses
West Division
1) Gannon (7)
2) THE ROCK (1)
3) IUP
4) Seton Hill
5) Pitt-Johnstown
6) California (Pa.)
7) Edinboro
8) Clarion
East Division
1) Shepherd (7)
2) West Chester (1)
3) Kutztown (1)
4) Bloomsburg
5) East Stroudsburg
6) Millersville
7) Shippensburg
8) Lock Haven
9) Mansfield
RECORD WATCH
Libby Zacharyasz – T-17 on game winning goals with four – one away from T-15
Leah Allman – Ninth in saves with 124 – 10 saves away from eighth
Leah Allman – Seventh in wins with 21 – four away from sixth
Leah Allman – Fifth in shutouts with 14 – six and a half away from fourth
Leah Allman – Fifth in games started as a goalie with 38 – away from fourth
ASHLAND BY THE NUMBERS
2025 Overall Record: 0-1-0
2025 GMAC Record: 0-0-0
2025 Home Record: 0-1-0
2025 Away Record: 0-0-0
Head Coach: Cayleb Paulino | Fifth season at AU (66-9-12, .759)
Alma Mater: Wilmington College '11
Roster: Link
Stats: Link
ASHLAND SCOUTING REPORT
The Eagles enter the 2025 season looking to build on the 2024 campaign. Ashland won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular season championship in 2024 off the back of a 12-0-2 record in conference play. The Eagles claimed the GMAC Tournament with a 3-1 victory over Northwood University. The Eagles then lost to Drury University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Ashland was picked to repeat as champions in the GMAC in 2025.
Like The Rock, Ashland will have to replace the majority of its goals from a season ago, as the Eagles are return only 47.2 percent of its scoring. Senior Dani Hicks who co-led the Eagles with 14 goals in 2024, is back for 2025.
Ashland will have a new keeper commanding the goal in this season. The Eagles saw senior Maddie Dolenga and fifth year player Mackenzie Simon split time in 2024, but both have since graduated, leaving a big question mark on the back end.
Ashland fell 1-0 to No. 5 Grand Valley State Thursday in their season opener.
LOOKING AHEAD
SRU stays on the road for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on Sept. 10 at Frostburg State.
