FROSTBURG, Md. – In the second meeting between Frostburg and Slippery Rock, the Rock emerged with a 3-0 shutout of Frostburg, Tuesday night.
The Bobcats, while settling at 0-11 with the loss, fared much better in the rematch than the first meeting in early September.
FSU dropped the first contest 8-0 and was outshot 30-9. Senior keeper Sierra Smizer stopped 11 shots in the first matchup in just 30 minutes of action, while on Tuesday, she totaled 14 saves.
Smizer turned away four shots in the opening quarter to keep the score at 0-0 and she notched back-to-back saves at 19:59 and again at 02:01 in the second quarter. She made a spralling save on a shot from SRU's Lauren Marks at 19:59 and denied the rebounded shot from Kayla Ulrich two seconds later.
The Rock got on the board on a goal with 0:00 showing in the first half as the visitors were awarded a penalty corner after time had expired. SRU capitalized on the opportunity when Jessie Trube scored off a centering pass from Emily Polakovsky.
FSU opened the second half with intensity as the Bobcats posted back-to-back shots within the first 30 seconds. Senior Logan Gladden took the Bobcats' first shot off a corner that was blocked by the Rock defense. Junior Brooke Lafayette corralled the loose ball and fired a shot from the left side of the net that was saved by SRU keeper Hannah Nurse.
With 40:55 showing in the third, Smizer kicked away a shot from the Rock's Sayler Burke that came off of the visitor's sixth corner.
Just over a minute later, Slippery Rock added its second score of the night in the minute off another corner. The ball was batted around in front of the net before arriving at the stick of Addy Ross, who centered a pass directly in front of Smizer to Polakovsky, who slipped a shot under Smizer's pads for the goal.
SRU tacked on a third goal at 49:49 when Courtney Page tipped in a pass from Mikaela Hettel to set the final at 3-0.
Frostburg had a chance to get on the board in the fourth quarter. The Bobcat attack, led by Rachuba, moved towards the Rock goal as Rachuba hit a centering pass to first-year Morgan Mathews, whose shot just missed the cage to the right.
SRU outshot Frostburg 22-5 on the night and the visitors were awarded 12 corners. Smizer's 14 saves are the second most of the 2019 campaign.
FSU hosts Queens (N.C.) this coming Tuesday at 3:00 pm.
