SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Jess Davidson scored a pair of goals, leading 10th-ranked IUP field hockey to a 3-0 shutout of Slippery Rock on Wednesday afternoon.
IUP (9-6, 3-4) scored a goal in each of the final three quarters and clamped down on the defensive end throughout the contest. Slippery Rock (7-8, 1-6) mustered just two shots on the day, with the best chance coming with around 30 seconds remaining.
The victory was a crucial one for IUP, which entered the week on the outside of playoff positioning.
Davidson scored a goal in the second and third quarter, while
Shelby Harnish rounded out the scoring with a redirection in the fourth. Harnish assisted on the first Crimson Hawk marker of the day and
Mia Hutchinson picked a helper on the third tally.
IUP had a pair of quality scoring chances off a drawn penalty corner as
Roos van Herel had a shot saved and another blocked in the high slot. The game remained scoreless into the second quarter as IUP continued tilting the field to its advantage.
Davidson ripped a backhanded chance that prompted a sliding save from SRU goalie Grace Burker about three minutes into the second. Following a Slippery Rock turnover, the Crimson Hawks pushed the ball up the right side before Harnish sent a cross into the middle for
Jess Davidson and a 1-0 advantage.
The Crimson Hawks held a 5-0 advantage in shots at the intermission. Harnish sent a bouncing ball toward the goal early on in the second half as Burker made another quality save. Davidson sent another chance wide a few minutes later in the third.
Slippery Rock began to apply some pressure, but the IUP defense stood tall. Davidson doubled the IUP lead after possessing in along the right side and ripping a chance into the cage at 42:46, her 11th goal of the season.
In the fourth, IUP forced the issue in the circle, drawing a penalty corner. The Crimson Hawks maintained the pressure throughout the quarter. Hutchison drove into attacking territory and ripped a shot that Harnish redirected for a 3-0 lead.
Brooke Eberly made her lone save of the afternoon at the end of the contest, booting a shot aside on the right post.
Up Next
IUP hits the road, visiting second-ranked Shippensburg on Saturday, November 5 at 1:00 p.m.
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