Slippery Rock University’s Women’s Field Hockey (10-8(5-5) team hits the road tomorrow for their PSAC playoff match-up against the #2 East Stroudsburg University Warriors (15-3(8-2). The game will be taking place October 31st at 1 PM at Whitenight Field in East Stroudsburg.
East Stroudsburg has home field advantage since they finished the regular season in third place and SRU finished the regular season in sixth place. The winner of the game will play against the defending PSAC Tournament Champion Millersville in the semi-finals on Friday, November 3rd at 3:30 PM. This game’s winner will play in the second game of the day on Friday. The first game on Friday will be between no. 1 Shippensburg and whoever the winner is of the no. 7 West Chester vs. Bloomsburg game.
“This senior class was freshmen when we made the playoffs in 2014. I think they always wanted to get back there. They’re really excited they were able to accomplish that in their senior season,” Head coach Julie Swiney said.
SRU will be playing against its seventh ranked opponent tomorrow. East Stroudsburg is ranked number two in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, where five teams in the PSAC are ranked. SRU and Bloomsburg are the only teams in the PSAC Tournament who are not ranked. Despite being ranked number eight in the nation, Kutztown did not qualify for PSAC Tournament.
“I think that it’s a really competitive league and it definitely helps prepare you to just keep pushing. You can’t be complacent. That’s for sure,” Coach Swiney said.
SRU’s last game which took place last Saturday against no. 3 Millersville resulted in an overtime loss by the score of 3-2. Goals for SRU were scored by freshman defenseman Brittany Morgan and freshman forward Courtney Page. The goal for Morgan was her sixth of the season and the goal for Page was her second of the season.
Brittany Morgan and Courtney Page are a part of a freshman class that has performed very well this season.
“I think they’ve been very successful and they came prepared to preseason in August and they have been just really working hard and trusting upperclassmen and performing,” Swiney said. “We were excited about their class. They really came in and were able to make an impact right away.”
SRU has qualified for the PSAC Tournament four times since the tournament’s inception in 1979. The Rock has a 1-4 record in the PSAC Tournament with its lone win coming against East Stroudsburg in 1987. SRU’s most recent game was a 3-0 victory for East Stroudsburg back on October 21st. East Stroudsburg, who owns a five-game winning streak, enters the game against the Green and White with a chance to make it to the PSAC Tournament semi-finals for the fourth season in a row. The Warriors have won 35 of their last 37 games that they have played against Slippery Rock. SRU’s last win against East Stroudsburg came in 2014 and before that win in 2014, SRU hadn’t beaten the Warriors since 1998.
The Rock’s game tomorrow will be there 19th game of the year.
“We’re just excited to have another game Tuesday and hope to keep the energy up and have an upset of East Stroudsburg,” Coach Swiney said.
