The Slippery Rock University field hockey team (2-7, 0-2 in PSAC) rounded out a five-game stand at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium against archenemy Indiana (Pa.) (5-4, 1-1 in PSAC) under the lights and in the rain on Wednesday, being blanked by the Crimson Hawks, 3-0.
With both teams coming off of losses to top-three ranked teams over the weekend (Slippery Rock’s to No. 1 Millersville), the Rock was looking to claim their third victory in the last four meetings with IUP. That was not to be.
Shortly after junior forward Kayla Ulrich pushed the game’s first shot wide of the visitors’ goal, SRU goalie Hannah Nurse, in her third start of 2019, kicked an IUP attempt to her left. The ball ended up on the stick of Blaise Cugini, who dished it to Brianna Lubarsky for the game’s opening score.
About three minutes later, sophomore midfielder Holly Stiller made a defensive save and another shot was blocked after, keeping the game within one for the Green and White.
The Crimson Hawks extended the lead four minutes into the second quarter, with Lubarsky connecting for her second of the night. Ulrich’s shot early turned out to be Slippery Rock’s lone chance in the entire game.
As her offense’s struggles continued into the third quarter, Nurse made two saves before Georgiana Chiavacci ended the contest with IUP’s third marker of the night, this time off of a fast break.
IUP ended up with the advantages in total shots (10-1), shots on goal (8-0), and penalty corners (3-2.)
The visitors snapped a four-game losing streak and made their lead in the schools’ all-time series 42-19-1.
The road for the Rock will not get any easier, as they travel to undefeated No. 2 West Chester Saturday.
