After starting conference play with no wins and three losses, Slippery Rock field hockey will head to number-one-ranked East Stroudsburg University on Saturday.
The Rock comes into the matchup on a four-game losing skid while ESU has had quite the opposite as they enter on a four-game win streak.
The difference in starts could mean a massive turnaround game if SRU are able to pull off a road win in enemy territory against a strong squad.
While The Rock are underdogs in the matchup, all the pressure is on ESU to continue rolling. For SRU, a loss can only put them one spot lower.
Last season when these two met, SRU fell by a score of three to one. The lone goal for The White and Green came from now senior Erin Roland.
Roland has maintained good form this season. In the previous double-overtime loss to Frostburg State, she registered three shots with one being on-target.
Amid the slow start, SRU has still had strong performances up and down the roster.
Junior Gianna Conti leads the squad with three goals through ten games.
Conti is followed by freshman Hilary Hoffman who has registered two goals and an assist in her impressive 513 minutes played.
Junior Bailee Christman also sits among the top of The Rock roster with her goal and assist.
Junior goalkeeper Grace Burker has carried the load playing all ten games and recording 55 saves in the process. A .724 save percentage highlights her season thus far.
Along with the solid individual performances, the team has not played bad as a unit. Of their 81 shots this campaign, 60 have been on-target.
To this point, the squad has averaged just over eight shots per game but only has nine goals to show for it on the season.
The key to turning things around will be keeping up the pressure offensively while limiting their opponents chances.
With just one game remaining as a non-conference contest, SRU will search for answers to its 2-8 start.
