Slippery Rock University Athletics

ERIE, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team opened its time at the Atlantic Region Challenge with a 72-69 victory over Ohio Dominican University Friday at the Highmark Events Center on the campus of Gannon University.
 
The victory improved The Rock's record to 1-1 on the young season. Ohio Dominican also exits the game 1-1 so far in 2026-27.
 
Leading SRU to its win over the Panthers was sophomore guard Iyanna Wade, who turned in a 20-point, seven-assist, two-steal performance. She routinely got inside the paint and drew fouls leading to a 12-of-13 effort from the free throw line. The 12 made free throws tied Wade for seventh in single-game program history.
 
Wade was at her best when The Rock needed her most as she went for 11 points in the fourth quarter alone.
 
Joining Wade in double figures Friday were senior forward Mairan Haggerty (13), senior guard Regan Atkins (10) and fifth year forward Alyssa Gillin (10). Gillin also grabbed a Rock-best seven rebounds to go with two steals, while Atkins had five rebounds and Haggerty blocked one shot.
 
Playing in just her second collegiate game, freshman forward Isabelle Carson scored nine points in addition to pocketing four steals and hauling in five rebounds.
 
Rounding out SRU's top performers were junior guard Hannah Pugliese (eight points, five rebounds) and senior guard Sophia Hook (four rebounds, two steals).
 
As a team, Slippery Rock finished the victory shooting 38.3 percent (23-of-60) overall and 24.2 percent (8-of-33) at the foul line, but a stellar 81.8 percent (18-of-22) at the foul line.
 
SRU forced ODU into 20 turnovers, while committing only 15 miscues of its own. The Rock also held +2 (34-32) rebounding margin that included 15 offensive rebounds which Slippery Rock turned into 20 second chance points. Carson had four of Slippery Rock's 15 offensive boards.
 
After getting down by 10 points (22-12) through the first 9:12 of regulation, the remainder of the first half belonged to The Rock.
 
SRU used a 16-4 run that was highlighted by five points from Atkins and a go-ahead basket from Carson to take a two-point edge (28-26) with 2:47 to play in the second quarter before ODU scored five straight points to re-take the lead at 31-28 heading into the halftime break.
 
The Rock came out strong in the second half with a 3-pointer by Haggerty that originally hit off the rim before taking a high bounce and eventually falling through to pull the game into a 37-37 tie three minutes into the third quarter. Haggerty collected five of Slippery Rock's first nine points of the period.
 
From there, The Rock and Panthers proceeded to trade baskets leading to a 49-49 tie after three completed quarters.
 
The difference in the game came in the early stages of the first quarter when a Katie Grexa layup, Carson 3-pointer and pair of Wade foul shots put SRU up 56-49 and forced an Ohio Dominican timeout with 7:04 left in regulation.
 
Slippery Rock stretched its lead out to a game-high 10 points out of the timeout and fended off a late ODU comeback bid to close out its first win of the season.
 
Meghan Mayotte led Ohio Dominican with a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double. For the game, Ohio Dominican shot 38.2 percent (21-of-55) overall, 36.7 percent from distance (11-of-30) and 94.1 percent (16-of-17) at the foul line.
 
Slippery Rock continues its time at the Atlantic Region Challenge 11 a.m. Saturday against No. 17 Glenville State University.






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