SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – IUP women's lacrosse endured a lengthy weather delay and and a fourth quarter surge from Slippery Rock, holding on for a 10-9 win over the course of about four hours on Saturday afternoon.
 
IUP (5-3, 4-0) tallies its fourth consecutive conference win behind another balanced effort. Slippery Rock (5-3, 1-2) had its potential game-tying goal in the fourth quarter with 17.9 seconds left disallowed due to a stick check violation, stopping the comeback in its tracks.
 
The Hawks used a stretch of five unanswered goals closing the first quarter and extending into the second. IUP later netted timely tallies to build enough of a cushion and withstand a frenetic rally from Slippery Rock over the final 15 minutes.
 
Kathryn Burke posted a game-high five points behind three goals and two assists for IUP. Burke was one of four Crimson Hawks with multiple goals, joining Leah Moyer (3), Sarah Reustle (2) and Chantal Jimenez (2).
 
Ruestle posted a pair of goals, adding two assists, three ground balls, three draw controls and four caused turnovers. She surpassed 100 ground balls during her IUP career in the victory in the first quarter.
 
Elsewhere in the IUP lineup, Maggie Marsteller grabbed four ground balls and caused two turnovers. Maddy Schramm finished with eight saves in the victory.
 
Slippery Rock outscored IUP by a 5-2 margin over the last 15 minutes, netting two goals over the final two minutes to get back within one and set up the potential game-tying goal with under 30 seconds remaining. Lauren Searles notched three goals on five shots to pace SRU.
 
IUP responded with four consecutive tallies after Slippery Rock opened the scoring in the first. The Crimson Hawks used three different goal scorers to jump ahead 10 minutes in. Burke, Reustle and Jimenez all found the back of the net as IUP dictated much of the possession across the initial 15 minutes.
 
After swarming defense on one end, IUP worked the ball round methodically before Burke notched her second of the day off a feed from Jordan Kulp for a 4-1 advantage. Sami Shutt and Reustle combined to pressure the ball, leading to a turnover and the eventual goal late in the first quarter.
 
The Hawks pushed the run to five unanswered goals into the second quarter with Leah Moyer finishing off a pass from Burke from the right wing. Slippery Rock countered with a pair of goals in response before Jimenez buried a Ruestle feed for a 6-3 IUP lead at the 3:44 mark of the second.
 
With time winding down in the second quarter, the weather conditions quickly deteriorated with strong winds and lightning in the area, causing a delay that lasted nearly two hours before resuming.
 
Both defensive units were strong at the onset of the third quarter following the lengthy weather delay with several caused turnovers as IUP maintained its 6-3 lead. Slippery Rock eventually broke through for the opening goal of the second half with Lauren Searles netting her 20th of the season, dashing through and trimming the IUP lead to 6-4.
 
Ruestle nearly worked a shot through from a tough angle with under four minutes left in the third quarter. IUP eventually found the net late in the third stanza following some pinpoint passing with Moyer scoring off a Burke feed moments before Ruestle expanded the advantage to 8-4 with her shot from the right wing.
 
Contending with a heavy wind to start the fourth, Slippery Rock trimmed its deficit to three with a free-position marker in a back and forth frame. IUP quickly countered with Moyer depositing her third of the game off a find from Jimenez for a 9-5 advantage at the 9:44 mark of the fourth.
 
IUP slowed down the pace on the offensive end, utilizing much of the possession clock down the stretch. Burke delivered with her third goal of the contest as IUP got a key insurance marker for a 10-6 lead. Slippery Rock knifed into its deficit with three consecutive tallies at 4:44, 2:08 and 1:09, getting back within one down the stretch.
 
Searles appeared leveled the score at 10 on the free position with just 17 seconds remaining, but the tally was disallowed as IUP held on for the hard-fought win.
 
Up Next
IUP welcomes Shippensburg on Wednesday, March 29 for a 4:00 p.m. start at Miller Stadium.
 
Follow
For coverage of the IUP women's lacrosse program, follow the Crimson Hawks on Twitter and Instagram @IUPlacrosse and online at IUPAthletics.com. 

 

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