2008 Woodie Awards
Rock set for run at PSAC title
By Brandon Fox
Rocket Sports Editor
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Sports
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Clinching the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West title is great.
Winning the PSAC Championship and earning a berth in the regional playoffs?
Now that would be wonderful.
That is the next goal the Rock (15-3-1, 8-1-1) and Head Coach Noreen Herlihy wants to cross off the list.
The Rock clinched the PSAC West title with a 2-0 win over Clarion last Thursday. The win also gave SRU a first-round bye and home-field advantage heading into next week's conference playoffs.
"It is great to have a home game," Herlihy said. "We get to sleep in our own beds and be in our own environment. But you know, it is the playoffs and teams are going to come in and try to get it done, so we have to be ready to go."
Last Saturday the Rock faced off against West Chester, which was ranked fifth nationally and first regionally coming into the game. In a game that may have been a preview of the PSAC Championship, the Rock stunned the Golden Rams with a 3-1 victory.
The Rock jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute after Danielle Cooper ripped a shot into the top corner off an assist from Jaimi Wilson.
"Dani had a crackin' goal for us early, and it set the tone for the game," Herlihy said.
SRU would find the net again just 10 minutes later, as Alison Hindley scored her fifth goal in four games, to give the Rock a 2-0 lead.
"They were kind of stunned," Herlihy said. "We jumped on them early and I don't think they knew what hit them.
"We wanted to attack them early and take the game to them. I am really proud of the players, because they played wonderful soccer."
Hindley netted her second goal of the day, putting the Rock up 3-0, when she took a pass from Meghan McGrath in the 56th minute. The assist was the 25th of McGrath's career, which moved her into a tie for the school record.
Rita Alton put West Chester on the board with an unassisted goal in the 68th minute, after she took an errant pass from the Rock defense and beat Lauren McManus on the right side.
Despite the defensive error, Herlihy praised her defense over the last five games and feels that they, along with the rest of her team, is playing their best soccer of the season.
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