Events for the Week of October 17-23, 2016

FOOTBALL
Fighting Scots Look to Stay in PSAC West Chase with Big Game at Slippery Rock
 
Saturday, October 22 I  at Slippery Rock  I  2:00 p.m.  I  Mihalak-Thompson Stadium
Records:  Edinboro 6-1, 3-1 PSAC West  I  Slippery Rock 5-2, 2-2 PSAC West
Gameday Outlets:  LIVE STATS  I  LIVE AUDIO I  LIVE VIDEO – ESPN3  
 
Few people would have bet that Edinboro would have a better record than Slippery Rock entering thie annual meeting between the two. The Fighting Scots have enjoyed an incredible turnaround in the first year under head coach Justin Lustig. After finishing 0-11 a year ago, the Fighting Scots made it three straight wins last week with a 45-16 win at Mercyhurst and are now 6-1. That clinched a winning record for the first time since 2011. More importantly, at 3-1 in the PSAC West, Edinboro is in the thick of the Western Division title chase. California(Pa.) leads the way at 4-0. A battered Slippery Rock team fell to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in the PSAC West with a 48-19 loss at IUP. That was the second straight loss for The Rock. However, both have to top-13 ranked teams in Cal and IUP. Edinboro relies on a high-flying offense and an ever-improving defense. The Fighting Scots rank third in the conference and eighth in Division II in scoring offense at 43.6 ppg.  Junior QB Jake Sisson (Jamestown, N.Y./ Jamestown) continues to excel after posting his second straight 400-yard with 435 yardsvs. Mercyhurst. Sisson has now thrown for 28 TDs, which leads the PSAC and is second nationally, and has 2,482 yards passing, which is second in the PSAC and fourth in Division II. While Sisson was throwing for 435 yards, James Clark (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) (7 rec.-147 yds.-1 TD), Alex Caratelli (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) (7 rec.-128 yds.-1 TD), and Ta'Nauz Gregory (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) (9 rec.-110 yds.-1 TD) became the first trio to have 100 yards receiving. The Boro defense continued to improve, limiting Mercyhurst to 229 yards and recording five sacks. Slippery Rock is hoping to have Shamar Greene back. The senior is SRU's all-time leading rusher with 4,275 yards, but has missed the last two games with an injury. Don King III has thrown for 1,719 yards with 14 TDs. The defense showcases All-American DL Marcus Martin. Just a junior, he already holds the PSAC record for sacks with 38.5 and is on pace to break the Division II record. Edinboro looks to snap a six-game losing streak to The Rock, and has not won at Mihalak-Thompson Stadium since 2008. Slippery Rock will also be celebrating Homecoming.
 
 
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Fighting Scots Renew Rivalry with Gannon in Key PSAC Match

Wednesday, October 19  |  at Slippery Rock  |  3:30 p.m.  |  James Egli Field
Records: Edinboro 11-2-1, 10-2-1 PSAC | Slippery Rock 8-5-1, 8-3-1 PSAC
Gameday Outlet: LIVE STATS  I  LIVE AUDIO  I  LIVE VIDEO
 
Saturday, October 22  |  at East Stroudsburg  |  2:30 p.m.  |  Eiler-Martin Stadium
Records: Edinboro 10-2-1, 9-2-1 PSAC | East Stroudsburg 11-2-1, 11-1-1 PSAC
Gameday Outlet: LIVE STATS  I  LIVE AUDIO  I  LIVE VIDEO

With the regular season winding down, Edinboro faces a big week in its pursuit of a PSAC first-round home playoff game. First things first, the Fighting Scots must clinch a playoff berth. They are currently in third place with 28 points thanks to a 9-2-1 record in league play. They come off a much-needed week break after last battling Gannon to a scoreless tie. The week begins with a road contest at Slippery Rock on Wednesday, followed by a Saturday match at East Stroudsburg in a rematch of last year's PSAC championship contest. Slippery Rock has proven to be a nemesis of the Fighting Scots. Edinboro is 0-5-2 in the last seven meetings with SRU. The Rock is in fifth place in the PSAC with an 8-3-1 league record. East Stroudsburg was ranked 11th in last week's NSCAA Division II Top 25. The Warriots are 11-2-1 overall and 11-1-1 in the PSAC, losing to league-leading West Chester and tying Slippery Rock. The Fighting Scots come in relying on the scoring of Alex Brown and Ashley Mutkus. Brown has six goals and a pair of assists for 14 points, while Mutkus comes in with six goals and an assist for 13 points. Brown ranks ninth in career goals (24) and tenth in career points (59). Mutkus has moved into a tie for tenth place in career goals with 19.
 
 


WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Boro Looks for Record 17th Straight Win at Ursuline, Followed by Weekend Pair in Erie at Gannon, Mercyhurst
 
Tuesday, October 18  I  at Ursuline  I  7:00 p.m.  I  The Jane and Lee Seidman Gymnasium Records:  Edinboro 16-4  I  Ursuline 14-8
Gameday Outlets:  LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
 
Friday, October 21  I  at Gannon  I  7:00 p.m.  I  Hammermill Center
Records:  Edinboro 16-4, 9-0 PSAC Northwest  I  Gannon 18-3, 7-2 PSAC Northwest
Gameday Outlets:  LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
 
Saturday, October 22  I  at Mercyhurst  I  4:05 p.m.  I  MAC
Records:  Edinboro 16-4, 9-0 PSAC Northwest  I  Mercyhurst 11-9, 3-6 PSAC Northwest
Gameday Outlets:  LIVE STATS
 
Edinboro made it 16 straight wins with a three-game sweep over Indiana(Pa.) on Saturday, and now faces a week with three road matches. It begins with a non-conference match at Ursuline on Tuesday, before the Fighting Scots return to PSAC action with back-to-back contests at local rivals Gannon and Mercyhurst. The Fighting Scots have tied the school record for consecutive wins, previously set in 2010. They look to break the record at an Ursuline team that is 14-8 on the season, but 1-3 against PSAC foes. The weekend bears much more importance as the Fighting Scots look to maintain a two-game lead in the Northwest Division standings. Gannon is 18-3 overall and 7-2 in the division. Mercyhurst is 11-9 overall and 3-6 in league play. A year ago, Edinboro split with their two local rivals, winning at McComb Fieldhouse and losing on the road. In fact, it was Mercyhurst that defeated Edinboro in five games to snap a 15-match winning streak. A balanced attack features Challen Litwiler with 195 kills, Latoya Hutchinson with 189, and Victoria Severo with 177. Sydney Trathen has 628 assists.
 
 
 
CROSS COUNTRY
Cross Country Teams to Compete in PSAC Championships; Women's Team in Search of Three-Peat
Saturday, October 22  I  at PSAC Championships  I  11 a.m.  I  Kutztown, Pa.
 
Ryan Foster will make his first run at winning a conference championship as his Fighting Scots compete in the PSAC Championships on Saturday at Kutztown University. Both the men's and women's teams feature youthful rosters, and are looking to peak as the PSAC and Atlantic Region Championships approach. The women's harriers are in search of a third straight conference crown after outrunning East Stroudsburg for first place a year ago in Slippery Rock. Five runners earned All-PSAC accolades, with two of those runners returning. Leading the way is Emma Sullivan, a senior who was 16th a year ago to earn All-PSAC honors for the second time. Sophomore Abbey Lang also earned All-PSAC recognition, coming in 14th. The men's cross country team came in fifth last year, as Lock Haven won its third straight PSAC title. Three runners were All-PSAC performers, with Jon Gusew and Corey Wefing returning. Gusew came in 21st to earn the honor for the second straight year, while Wefing was 25th. The duo has been joined this year by freshman Bryan Geehrer, who has been Edinboro's top runner in every event this fall.      
 
 
 
 
SWIMMING
Swimming Team Takes to the Pool for a Pair of Weekend Events
 
Friday, October 21 I  at Westminster Relays  I  6:00 p.m.  I  Tippin Gym Natatorium
Saturday, October 22 I  at Indiana(Pa.)  I  1:00 p.m.  I  Tippin Gym Natatorium
 
The 2016-17 season got underway last Saturday for head coach Chris Rhodes' men's and women's swimming teams. The women posted a 110-108 win over Clarion, while the men fell, 146-72. The two teams will swim twice in less than 24 hours this weekend, competing in the Westminster Relays on Friday night, followed by a Saturday afternoon dual at Indiana(Pa.). For the women, Edinboro picked up wins in seven different events, with four swimmers picking up a pair of first-place finishes. The Fighting Scots won both the 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay. Morgan Joseph, Holly Stein, Breanna Purnell, and Kaitlyn Daiger combined to win the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:52.33. Katelyn Kopacko, Casey Tokarski, Joseph, and Anastasiia Semkiv posted a winning time of 1:41.82 in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Stein added a win in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:08.98, while Kopacko touched first in the 50-yard freestyle at 25.42. Purnell won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:01.89. In addition to the double winners, Mary Rosati took home first place in the 200-yard freestyle (2:00.49) and Yana Miletska won the 200-yard IM (2:15.07). the men were led by Justin Ransel's three wins and two more by Luke Frederick. Ransel won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.29 and the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 55.43, along with swimming a leg of the 200-yard medley relay. Frederick was also on the medley relay, along with winning the 100-yard breaststroke (59.56). Marcus Grosso and Daniel Peng completed the foursome on the medley relay.