For the second time this season, the Slippery Rock field hockey team was shut out by the Shippensburg Raiders. After losing 5-0 at Shippensburg on Sept. 25, The Rock was shut out at home on Tuesday by a score of 1-0. The loss drops SRU’s record to 5-9 overall and 2-5 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
The lone goal was scored with nine and a half minutes left in the first half when Shippensburg junior Katelyn Grazan received a pass inside the box and sent the ball past senior Rock goaltender Carlee DuMars. This would prove to be the eventual game-winning goal as both teams went scoreless for the remainder of the first half and for the entire second half. DuMars recorded nine saves in the loss while sophomore defensemen, Kayla Mack and Cortlyn Van Deutsch, were each credited with a defensive save. The defensive save was Mack’s fourth on the year and Van Deutsch’s first. DuMars now ranks third among PSAC goalies with 96 saves. Slippery Rock has struggled to generate shots all season and was again outshot by their opponent in this game. The Raiders totaled 16 shots, 12 on goal, while The Green and White only managed four total shots, three on goal. On the season The Rock is being outshot by opponents 159-207 and is averaging less than two goals per game. Shippensburg also held the advantage in penalty corners 8-3.
The Raiders’ goalie, Taylor Webster, made three saves to earn the win and record her fourth individual shutout of the year.
Junior forward Megan McKay continues to be the best offensive player for Slippery Rock, taking three of the four total shots in the game against Shippensburg and leading the team in all offensive categories. McKay continues to rank high among other PSAC scorers, ranking third in the conference in both goals with 12 and points with 29.
“Megan is a really good player and she’s been killing it by scoring all of those goals,” junior midfielder Renee Rosenblum said. “If she keeps up then I feel like we’ll keep getting big wins. If we keep working together and keep getting her the ball and she keeps scoring we’ll do really well.”
Slippery Rock will be on the road for its next game against Mercyhurst University before returning home to Mihalik-Thompson Stadium to take on the West Chester for senior day on Oct. 24.
“We have a couple big games coming up and I really believe we have a chance to win them,” Rosenblum said. “I really believe we have a chance to make the playoffs as long as we work together as a team.”
