Box Score

ERIE, Pa. – The No. 9-ranked Gannon University women's lacrosse team used an 8-0 run in the middle of the game to pull away for a 21-7 win over Slippery Rock in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division contest Thursday at Gannon University Field.

The Rock (4-5, 1-4 PSAC) held a 3-2 lead early and trailed by just two with 15:49 to play in the first half before Gannon (7-3, 3-2 PSAC) bookended the halves with four goals each to pull away.

The Rock was led by Amy Halls, who scored a hat trick with three goals on seven shots on goal. Halls also pulled down a team-high four draw controls.

Jami Meirick scored her first collegiate goal, while Alexis Slutsky, Casey Quinn and Ariel Knox all added one goal and Emma VanDenburg chipped in one assist to cap the scoring for SRU. Quinn matched Halls with four draw controls as Slippery Rock finished the game with an 18-12 advantage on the draw.

Slutsky finished with three draw controls, while Candice Mack led the team with four ground balls.

Ashley Winkelspecht took the loss in goal, allowing 21 goals and recording 10 saves.

Gannon was led by eight point efforts from Taryn Millerd with five goals and three assists and Kayla Nelson with one goal and seven assists. Mary Eshenour finished with a game-high six goals, while Molly SanJule added four goals.

Acacia Cook earned the win in goal, allowing seven goals and recording 10 saves. Alexa Walnoha closed the final 6:31 of the game and did not face a shot.

For the game, Gannon posted advantages of 35-24 in shots and 24-15 in ground balls while turning the ball over 11 times. SRU finished with an 18-12 edge in draw controls while committing 22 turnovers.

Gannon jumped out of the gate with the first two goals, scoring in the second and fourth minutes, before Slippery Rock responded with three goals in less than two minutes to take the lead.

Knox scored with 26:17 left in the half, followed by markers from Quinn with 25:06 and Slutsky with 24:42 to put SRU up 3-2.

Gannon notched the next two goals to regain the lead, but Halls scored her first of the game in the 11th minute to tie the game at 4-4. The Lady Knights responded with four goals to close the half with an 11-5 lead and opened the second half with four more goals to push the lead to 15-5 and put the game out of reach.

Three of The Rock's last four games have come against teams ranked in the top-nine in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Division II poll. SRU is 0-4 over the last four games with losses to No. 2 Lock Haven, No. 5 Mercyhurst, No. 9 Gannon and East Stroudsburg, which is knocking on the door of breaking into the top-10.

The Rock returns to action Tuesday, April 6, with a PSAC-West matchup at Indiana (Pa.). IUP rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat SRU 8-7 in the first meeting between the two teams earlier this season. First draw is set for 7 p.m.