Box Score
INDIANA, PA - Locked in a 1-1 tie with just over three minutes to play in the game,
Casey McGowan (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South) deposited the game-winning goal to give the IUP field hockey team a thrilling 2-1 win over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West rival Slippery Rock Saturday.
Prior to the game, five IUP seniors were honored for their outstanding careers with the Crimson Hawks.
Nicole Bruce (Clarks Summit/Lackawanna Trail),
Erin Shirk (Paradise/Pequea Valley),
Anouk Sickman (Antwerp, Belgium/Lazac Cellepe),
Alicia Straining (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin) and
Ruth Walker (Tobyhanna/Pocono Mountain West) have been a part of 36 wins at IUP and helped lead the team to back-to-back PSAC tournament appearances.
The Rock would look to spoil the celebration, however, jumping out to a 1-0 lead midway through the first half when Ally Banks took a penalty corner from Kelsey Gustafson and deposited the goal at the 16:22 mark.
IUP would notch four shots in the first half, but Slippery Rock goalkeeper Courtney Lee would keep the Crimson Hawks off the scoreboard until late in the second half, when
Chelsea Wanamaker (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley) slipped past the Rock defense and knocked in the goal to knot it at 1-1 with 14:39 to play in the game.
With time running out and the contest seemingly headed for overtime, McGowan put any thoughts of extra time to rest when she took control of a loose ball in front of the cage and ripped a shot past Lee to give IUP a 2-1 lead with just 3:25 to play.
The Crimson Hawks dominated possession in the second half, outshooting Slippery Rock 10-2 in the second stanza.
Brittany Varacallo (New Britain/Central Bucks South) played the entire second half in goal for IUP and had one save, while
Sarah Lemieux (Dublin, OH/Dublin Coffman) started the game at tallied four saves in 35 minutes of action.
IUP is hoping for a similar result this Tuesday, as IUP will once again host Slippery Rock in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament. Game time at Miller Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m.
