The Slippery Rock University lacrosse team took an early lead Tuesday against Edinboro University and never looked back.
SRU defeated Edinboro 19-6.
The Rock scored two goals in the opening minute of the game, before jumping out to a 10-2 lead, 16:42 into the game. SRU took an 11-3 lead into the half and never gave the Fighting Scots a chance, eventually picking up the win 19-6, improving The Rock to 6-7 on the year and 4-4 in conference play.
This was Slippery Rock’s best 60 minute performance of the season. The 11 goals in the first half is a season-high, and 19 goals for the game is also a season-high.
It is no secret that SRU has struggled in the beginning of games this year, having to fight back in most of them, but they came out firing on all cylinders from the opening whistle on Tuesday.
“One of the biggest contributors to this win was coming out hard off the first whistle,” SRU head coach Emily Hopkins said. “We worked hard the whole game, caused turnovers and didn’t let off the gas.”
SRU had many different contributors in the goal department. The Rock’s trio of top goal scorers all had hat tricks, including Paige Costantino, Kaytlin Callaghan and Erin Wilcox. Costantino ended with a team-high seven points, adding four assists with those three goals, and Wilcox and Callaghan each has one assist to go with their hat tricks.
To go along with the dangerous trio, SRU had seven other goal scorers against Edinboro. Jasey Sanders had two goals and one assist, Chynna Chan and Danni Wilson each had two goals and Caitlynn Palladino, Ally Culhane, Anna-Marie Warrington and Lexi Foster all had one goal.
Jordan Wagner earned the win in goal after recording seven saves and allowing a season-low four goals.
SRU dominated every statistical category. They held a 31-18 advantage in total shots, 26-15 advantage in shots on goal, 20-7 advantage in draw controls, 19-13 in ground controls and 11-8 in caused turnovers.
“I give our team an A+,” Callaghan said. “We came out firing as a team, everyone had each other’s backs and we were being a scrappy team.”
Slippery Rock helped their playoff chances with the win on Tuesday, but are still in need of some help. To give themselves the best chance, SRU needs to win their last four games, and get some help from other teams in the conference. With losses to both West Chester University and Seton Hill University, that hurts the Rock’s chances, since Seton Hill and West Chester both hold two game leads over SRU for fifth in the standings.
“We have a good chance to make the playoffs if we keep up the energy and play all 60 minutes,” Hopkins said. “We need to have no drop off between the bench and starters, and we need to bring our best effort from here on out.”
SRU has a tough road ahead with first place Lock Haven University and second place Mercyhurst University as the last two games on the schedule, but they believe they can earn their first playoff berth since 2007.
