Slippery Rock University Athletics

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University field hockey team enjoyed an offensive onslaught as part of a 6-2 season-opening victory Thursday over Frostburg State University at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
Slippery Rock (1-0) has now won three consecutive season openers. It's six goals were the most inside the program since a 6-2 victory against D'Youville University during the 2024 season.
 
Thursday's goal production was also tied for the second highest total in a season opener with SRU's 6-1 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas in 2018. The Rock's highest season-opening goal total was 11 versus Washington & Jefferson in 2001.
 
The Rock's offense featured four athletes with at least one goal and five who totaled a point. Leading the way for SRU was the Lucy Hutchinson and Grace Williams. The duo recorded identical stat lines of two goals, one assist and five shots.
 
The last time Slippery Rock had two multi-goal scorers in game was in 2023 against Roberts Wesleyan College (Gianna Conti and Leslie Colliver). Williams' two-goal performance Thursday was the second of her career, she also scored twice a season ago against Roberts Wesleyan.
 
Coral Piramo and Keila Schutte-Hanekom added The Rock's other two goals. Playing in her first collegiate game, Schutte-Hanekom also assisted on another goal. Josie Shultz, another of SRU's talented freshman class, compiled her first career assist as well.
 
Slippery Rock's defense, which did not surrender a goal until the fourth quarter, was spearheaded by transfer fifth-year goalkeeper Sam Black, who made a pair of saves over 34:24 before exiting the game for backup Leah Riegling, who stopped five shots and allowed two goals in 25:36 of playing time.
 
Haylie Sucharski, who led the PSAC in defensive saves a season ago, opened her senior year with another defensive stop Thursday as part of a back line effort that continually stymied Frostburg's offensive attack throughout the game.
 
Slippery Rock closed out the dominant win holding decisive advantages over the Bobcats in both total shots (23-12) and shots on goal (16-10). Both teams had four penalty corners.
 
SRU started its scoring barrage 12 minutes into the first quarter when Williams played a pass from the top of the circle to Hutchinson, who delivered a shot from nine yards out that beat FSU goalkeeper Jenna Yazzetti.
 
Schutte-Hanekom then earned her first collegiate goal just 22 seconds into the second quarter after receiving a pass from Hutchinson and firing in a shot from the top of the circle, giving SRU a 2-0 advantage.
 
The Rock added two more goals in the second quarter as Piramo snuck in a shot from the near side of the cage over Yazzetti in the 22nd minute followed by Williams converting her first goal of 2026 at 28:52 to send SRU into halftime leading 4-0.
 
 The halftime break did little to hinder Slippery Rock's momentum as Hutchinson put in SRU's fifth goal of the game just 19 seconds into the third quarter with an attempt from the middle of the circle.
 
Williams capped off Slippery Rock's scoring when she corralled a loose ball in the circle and sent in a shot from seven yards out that snuck in between Yazzetti legs, giving The Rock a six-goal lead with 21 minutes to play.
 
While Frostburg State did score twice in the fourth quarter, the Bobcats never threatened SRU's sizable lead in the eventual four-goal victory.
 
Alayna Enoff and Rachel Young collected FSU's goals. Yazzetti ended the contest with eight saves.
 
Slippery Rock continues its four-game homestand 2 p.m. Sept. 11 against Coker University at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.




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