The Rocket

Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Archived Photo Jeremy Deighton, who leads the team with five assists, battles for a header in a game versus Shippensburg earlier this year. Deighton and the Rock have dropped two straight in PSAC play, falling to fourth in the conference standings. [Click to enlarge]

After going on an eight-game unbeaten streak, the Slippery Rock men's soccer team has quickly been forced to come back to reality.

The team suffered a tough loss in overtime last week to California University of Pennsylvania, but they headed into an even tougher game Sunday afternoon against East Stroudsburg University.

ESU, which currently sits atop the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference standings, entered the game with seven straight wins and having suffered just one loss all season.

The match-up with SRU became the Warriors' eighth win, bringing their PSAC record to 9-1-0 and their overall record to 11-1-0.

The 3-1 loss dropped the Rock to 5-3-2 in the conference and 6-4-2 overall, but it didn't go down without a fight.

"We've played a couple tough games lately. We just needed to stay focused and prepared to battle," Rock Head Coach Matt Thompson said. "But this was the best game we've played so far, a fantastic performance."

Senior midfielder Nick Christy agreed.

"We definitely hung with them. It was one of our best games of the year," he said.

After 30 minutes of play, Christy stepped up and put the Rock on the scoreboard.

"(Jeremy) Deighton flicked a header past the defender, and I picked it up from there. One move and I just put the ball in the back of the net," Christy explained. Christy led the team with six total shots.

The goal marked the first time all season that East Stroudsburg had been forced to play from behind.

"It is a great feeling to go up 1-0 on the No. 11-ranked team in the country," senior fullback Mike Monte said. "It just proves that we can play with some of the best teams."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools