The Slippery Rock University field hockey team snapped a four-game skid with a win against Mansfield on Tuesday in its annual Corners for Cancer game. The victory improved The Rock’s record to 4-7 overall and 1-3 in league play.
It took SRU until the second period to register its first goal. Freshman Hannah Shirk recorded her first career goal while senior Megan McKay tallied her seventh goal of the season. Freshman Savanna Robinson assisted Shirk’s goal while senior Kailee Krupski setup McKay’s. It was the third assist of the season for both players.
Mansfield had the first opportunity early in the game at 6:10, but sophomore Liz Wolfe stopped a shot by Katie Lipski. It was Wolfe’s fifth defensive save of the season, which leads SRU.
Slippery Rock had a chance to score at 29:11 when junior Kayla Mack put a shot on goal, but it was kicked away by goalkeeper Laura Lawson. The Rock held the advantage in shots (10-5) heading into the break.
It took until 65:36 when Shirk played a deflected shot from Savanna Robinson into the goal to put SRU up 1-0.
Just two minutes later, McKay received a pass from Krupski and went on a breakaway, eventually putting a shot past Lawson, which gave The Rock a 2-0 lead en route to the win.
SRU held advantages in shots on goal (17-6) and penalty corners (8-6). The eight penalty corners for Slippery Rock will help benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation. It’s the fifth consecutive year in which The Rock has participated in the Corners for Cancer initiative.
McKay and freshman Brenna McGovern-Lind led SRU with four shots on goal each, and Mack and senior Renee Rosenblum tallied two shots on goal.
Junior goalkeeper Nicole Bream made five saves and recorded her third shutout of the season.
Slippery Rock will head back on the road for its next game at no. 3 Shippensburg University 11 a.m. Saturday.
