The Slippery Rock women’s soccer team earned its first home victory over the Seton Hill Griffins Wednesday. The Rock (4-1-0, 3-0-0 PSAC) defeated the Griffins (1-3-0, 1-1-0 PSAC) by a score of 4-1. The game was tied 1-1 at halftime, before The Rock took control in the second half.
The Rock got the first of 24 shots off 38 seconds into the game as Kayla Swope took a shot that went wide. They would take seven more shots before they finally broke through in the 38th minute, when Swope would score her first goal of the season off an assist from Shannon McIntyre. Seton Hill tied the game up three minutes later when Katie Kimmich put the ball in the back of the net, with an assist from Italia Biondi.
The Rock took the lead back three minutes into the second half on a Jordyn Minda goal that came off an assist from Rachel Edge. Edge also assisted Sofia Harrison’s goal nine minutes later and then scored her own goal in the 65th minute with an assist from Swope.
Edge has now scored a goal in four straight games, and Minda and Harrison each have three goals on the season.
“[Sofia Harrison] is playing a different position this year, last year she played an outside back for us, but this year we switched her to a winger, so that puts her up the field. She still has her defensive responsibility, but she’s kind of putting herself in more of an attacking position because of that winger position,” SRU coach Jessica Griggs explained.
Harrison led the team with eight shots and had four on goal; Edge was second with six shots and also had four on goal. Swope and Minda both had three shots and one shot on goal. Biondi led the Griffins with three shots, but she was only able to get one on goal.
Emma Yoder played another good game in net for The Rock, allowing only one goal and saving one shot. The Rock continued its solid play on both sides of the ball. The defense allowed its first goal since West Virginia Wesleyan, but only allowed eight shots and two on goal. On offense, the Rock took 24 shots and had 13 on goal. The Rock has now outscored opponents 13-2 on their four-game win streak.
Griffin goalkeeper Elyza Pilatowski-Herzing had nine saves against the Rock offense, but in the end was not able to stop Slippery Rock’s attack in the second half. The Rock took over the second half putting up 13 shots, seven shots on goal and three goals.
Slippery Rock took the only four corners in the game and didn’t go offsides, while the Griffins went offsides a total of five times. The Griffins also committed 12 fouls compared to the Rock’s four.
“I think honestly we’re just starting to wear some teams down, we’re dynamic and put a lot of pressure on the ball. Not that we haven’t done that in the past, but I feel like they’re super committed to it this year,” Griggs said.
In the past three games, they have now scored at least three goals, after being held to no goals in the first game and scoring two late goals against West Virginia Wesleyan.
“I think [the change of system] has been great, it took a little while but anytime change happens change is hard, so I think it took a little while, but when it did they seemed so comfortable with it,” said Coach Jessica Griggs. The Rock has now started to get used to their new system and have seen an increase in goals since.
“I struggle with when they feel like they’ve got the lead and they’re good to go. I don’t think they let off, I feel like they put a whole lot more pressure on and leaves chances for counter
opportunities when they lose the ball. But overall I think they’ve moved the ball well and pressured well,” said Griggs.
The Rock will resume play on Saturday against Mercyhurst before returning home to play two home games. They will look to continue their winning streak and remain undefeated in conference play.
