Thrilling Overtime Victory: Hutchinson Powers Rock Past Converse – Slippery Rock University Athletics

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Slippery Rock University field hockey team sparked back to life with a thrilling 2-1 overtime win against Converse University on Sunday.

This victory bumps Slippery Rock’s record to 3-1, marking the best start to a season since 2022. Interestingly, this was their second straight game going into overtime.

Key Players:
Lucy Hutchinson shone once again, netting her fourth goal this season, including her third game-winner. Remarkably, she has scored in every match so far. Roz Mikulak played a crucial role by assisting on Hutchinson’s goal.

Hilary Hoffman added her first goal of the year. The standout from last season now has four points across the opening weeks, showing her continued impact on the team.

Match Highlights:
Slippery Rock was aggressive, placing nine of their 15 shots on target. Hutchinson, Hoffman, Mikulak, and Coral Piramo each had two attempts on goal, with Riley Cloude also contributing to their offensive push.

In her debut as a starter, goalkeeper Emily Newton impressive, making seven saves in the match. The Rock maintained possession for most of the game, creating numerous chances, though Converse managed to clear eight penalty corners, keeping them scoreless through the first half.

After halftime, Newton held strong against an early push by Converse. The Rock finally broke through in the 45th minute when Hoffman scored after a flurry of action around the goal. However, the Valkyries equalized late in the fourth quarter, forcing overtime.

In overtime, both teams battled for possession. Eventually, a strategic Rock corner led to Hutchinson’s decisive game-winning goal, showcasing her skill in clutch moments.

In total shot stats, Slippery Rock outperformed Converse with 15 to 14 shots and also led in shots on goal (9-8) and penalty corners (17-9).

The team heads into their next game on September 19 against No. 4 Shippensburg University, a critical match to watch as they look to continue their momentum.

For more updates, follow Slippery Rock Athletics on X (formerly Twitter) @Rock_Athletics, Facebook RockAthletics, and Instagram RockAthletics.

This season is shaping up to be an exciting journey, and fans can’t wait to see what’s next!

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