Junior forward Dara Demich scored the first of her two goals in the ninth minute of the game to lead the Slippery Rock University women’s soccer team to a 7-1 non-conference victory over Daemen College on Saturday afternoon.
It was the second highest goal total for the Rock since 2004. It was the fifth time in that span that they have scored seven goals in a game.
The only game in which they have score more over the last 11 seasons was last year when they shut out Pitt-Johnstown 10-0.
First year head coach Jessica Griggs likes the direction the team is headed in.
“The expectation for this team is to make the playoffs this season,” said Griggs. It’s a standard that this program has held for years and will continue to be an expectation.”
The win improves the Rock’s record to 1-1 on the season as they prepare to open up conference play on Friday.
SRU dominated late in each half, scoring six of their seven goals in the final 20 minutes of the half or the game.
After Demich opened the scoring, freshman midfielder Mariah Varner scored her first career goal at the 26:55 mark, which gave the Rock a 2-0 advantage and proved to be all the offense they would need.
Daemen scored their lone goal just 10 seconds after Varner’s goal, and then the SRU defense shut them down the rest of the way.
Freshman Charlotte Elrod picked up the win in goal, making three saves along the way.
Slippery Rock tacked on two more goals in the first half, by freshman forward Julianna Esposito and junior forward Andrea Felix, to take a commanding 4-1 lead into halftime.
The second half was all Slippery Rock, as they outscored Daemen 3-0, on goals by Demich, senior midfielder Caitlin Binder and Felix. It was the second goal of the season for all three.
Besides scoring two goals each, Demich and Felix also chipped in with one assist apiece. Junior defender Ariana Daukss, sophomore midfielder Tess Keeley and freshman forward Brooke Testa were also credited with assists in the game.
For the game, SRU held advantages in shots 17-4, corner kicks 5-0 and shots on goal 13-4.
Griggs believes that the closeness of the team will take them far this season.
“The players worked extremely hard all summer in preparation for the season and they bonded on and off the field to create a very positive team culture,” said Griggs.
The Rock continues its five game homestand on Friday versus conference foe Millersville University, before hosting Shippensburg University on Saturday.
Both matches begin at 1 p.m. and will be played at SRU’s James Egli Field.
