On Sept. 8, the Slippery Rock University women’s soccer team earned its first victory of the season against No. 16 West Virginia Wesleyan, 2-1. The game was Slippery Rock’s (1-1-0) final non-conference game and its first of three straight away games. This is the second straight year that The Rock has upset West Virginia Wesleyan, as The Rock defeated the Lady Bobcats 1-0 last season.
The first goal came in the 25th minute from West Virginia Wesleyan’s Haelly Ramirez. The score would hold steady at 1-0 until the 84th minute, when Rachel Edge would score The Rock’s first goal of the season. The game would only be tied for 1:45 before Jordyn Minda would score the game winning goal in the 86th minute, on an assist from Kayla Swope.
Minda would lead the Rock in shots and shots on goal, tallying four shots with three on goal. Kaitlyn Barackman also recorded two shots, with one on goal, and she assisted Edge on the first goal of the game and the season for The Rock. Much of West Virginia Wesleyan’s attack came from Audrey Barber, who had six shots and three on goal.
West Virginia Wesleyan took 14 shots with eight on goal and The Rock took 10 shots with seven on goal. The Rock’s defense was able to hold off West Virginia Wesleyan’s attack in the late stages of the game. Rock Goalkeeper Emma Yoder had seven saves and took her first win since returning from her ACL injury that she suffered last season. Yoder’s overall record now improves to 3-1-1 in her career. West Virginia Wesleyan used two different goalkeepers in the game, with Chelsea Hubner finishing with two saves and one goal allowed and Ashlee Schumacher ending with three saves and one goal allowed.
Hubner started the game, but was pulled in favor of Schumacher to start the second half, but finished the game after Schumacher allowed the game tying goal. Both teams took two corners, and West Virginia Wesleyan committed nine fouls compared to The Rock’s eight.
The Rock will now finish the season playing each PSAC West opponent twice. The Rock will finish their stretch of away of away games, before returning home on September 18 to play Seton Hill University.
