The Slippery Rock University men’s soccer team dropped a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) game to no. 17 Gannon University Wednesday afternoon at James Egli Field.
Slippery Rock was great defensively as it limited the Golden Knights to their second lowest-scoring output of the season. Gannon entered the game as the top-scoring team in the PSAC and having produced one goal or less just two times this season.
SRU even kept Hamza Mourchid scoreless and limited to two shots on goal. Mourchid has scored at least one goal in all but two games this season and is the PSAC’s leader in goals.
Slippery Rock has held opponents to one or fewer goals in eight of its 10 games in 2016.
Junior Steven Rerick made his third start in goal for SRU, stopping a season-high seven shots and allowing one goal in over 90 minutes.
Slippery Rock had seven different players who accounted for the team’s 11 shots in the contest. Sophomore Kenton Keeslar led the way with three shots, while junior Kyle Boyer and senior Mike Pcholinsky each attempted two shots. Seniors Jacob Thiel and Josh Allman, along with sophomores George Oakley and Justin Minda, had one shot apiece.
Gannon looked to control the tempo in the opening part of the first half, but Slippery Rock countered in the middle of the period by tallying four shots over a five-minute stretch with attempts from Keeslar, Boyer (twice) and Thiel.
The Golden Knights broke the scoreless tie in the 43rd minute off a goal by Alex Schroeck to put SRU in a 1-0 deficit heading into halftime.
SRU continued its great defensive play in the second half, and when Gannon did manage an attempt on goal, Rerick was able to save it to keep the game at 1-0.
The Rock came up with five shots over the final 45 minutes, including a Pcholisnky attempt that Gannon goalkeeper Jorge Hernandez barely managed to deflect, but each shot was unable to get through as Gannon closed out the win.
Slippery Rock will return to action 3:30 p.m. Saturday against East Stroudsburg University at James Egli Field on Youth Soccer Day.
