The Slippery Rock women’s soccer team opened Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play on Saturday with a thrilling overtime triumph over Kutztown University 1-nil at Keystone Field in Kutztown, Pa.
Avoiding a hangover following an emotional upset over West Virginia Wesleyan, The Rock has recorded consecutive clean sheets in route to 1-0 victories.
After two halves of scoreless soccer, The Rock and the Golden Bears played a period of sudden death overtime. In the 95th minute of the match, The Rock broke the deadlock and left Kutztown with a crucial conference victory.
Freshman midfielder Jordyn Minda recorded the first goal of her Slippery Rock career at 94:27 which provided The Rock with the walk-off victory. Junior defender Madison Johnson supplied the assist by playing a beautiful through ball for Minda who slid the ball past Golden Bears’ keeper Jenna Bracken from six yards out.
While the 1-0 scoreline would seem to indicate a snooze fest, both attacks generated plenty of chances with a combined 16 saves from both goalkeepers. A combined 32 shots, with The Rock attempting 13 of those, led to 17 shots on goal. Both goalkeepers were excellent with Rock senior goalkeeper Kylie Downs recording nine saves for her second consecutive shutout and Bracken recording seven saves.
Downs has once again proven to be a difference maker between the goal posts for The Green and White. Although not being tested much in The Rock’s victory over West Virginia Wesleyan, the senior goalkeeper made a timely save to preserve the one-goal lead. Meanwhile the win over Kutztown tested Downs but she stood tall in goal, saving every shot the Golden Bears sent her way. The 2017 second team All-PSAC honoree is off to the best start of her already storied career at Slippery Rock.
Minda led contributors with two points from her goal; the freshman midfielder attempted two shots with one on goal. Johnson contributed one point on the assist to Minda’s goal. Senior forward Brooke Testa was the engine of The Rock attack with four attempted shots, three requiring a save. Senior forward Skye Kramer put one shot on goal in her two attempts.
With the win, The Green and White move to 2-0-0 (1.000) overall and 1-0-0 (1.000) in the PSAC while the Golden Bears fall to 1-1-0 (.500) overall and 0-1-0 (.000) in the PSAC. Beginning the season 2-0 is the start for The Rock since 2012.
The Rock will look to keep their win streak going against Indiana (Pa.) University this Wednesday, September 5th at 4:00 in Indiana, Pa.
