The Rock took down Pitt-Johnstown University for their second win in PSAC play. The game was contested the whole way through. After an early goal from the Mountain Cats, Slippery Rock found themselves playing catch up.
The first score in the game came after only eight minutes of play. Pitt-Johnstown’s Morgan Kost beat Rock goalkeeper Emma Yoder. Yoder, who already has two shutouts this season, has proven herself to be one of the toughest keepers for any team. Thus far, Yoder has only allowed three goals in four games played and every goal against the Green and White has been scored in the first half.
Slippery Rock had six shots in the first half and four of them were on goal. The Mountain Cat’s goalkeeper, Sachi Negri, made four saves in that first period of action. At the half, Pitt-Johnstown held a 1-0 lead, despite The Rock having the edge in shots 6-4.
There wasn’t another goal until the 60-minute mark, when Negri came out of goal and Kayla Swope was able to float the ball over her forcing the entire Pitt-Johnstown team to race to their net to keep the ball out. The ball barely beat the Pitt-Johnstown players into the goal and just like that, things were all knotted up.
“[Kayla’s goal] was super exciting, we knew some things about this goalkeeper coming into the game and Kayla’s IQ of the game is extremely high and she knows how to retain information,” Coach Jessica Giegucz said. “It wasn’t surprising to me to see her in that situation where she was going to put the ball in the back of the net.”
Pitt-Johnstown had their fair share of opportunities throughout the second half as well, and at one point Yoder was forced to stretch out to make a big save to keep the game tied up. Negri and Yoder both had good games, but in the end, it was Negri’s mistake that helped Slippery Rock win.
With only two minutes left in regulation, Negri once again came out of the net and this time faced off with Rachel Edge. Negri had stopped Edge earlier in the game, but this time Edge got the ball past her and shot the ball on an empty net to give the Rock a 2-1 lead.
“[Rachel] will continue to put herself in those situations and she tends to make the ones that she needs to make, the keeper shut her down pretty well and I’ll give her that,” Giegucz said. “But Rachel is going to continue to do Rachel things.”
Rachel’s goal is her fourth of the season in four games, and this time it was the game-winning goal. The Rock improved to 3-0-1(2-0-0), while the Mountain Cats dropped to 1-3-0(1-2-0). Slippery Rock will be back in action on the road against Seton Hill University on Wednesday in another PSAC matchup.
