EAST STROUDSBURG – Madison Johnson netted the game-winning goal early in overtime to lift Slippery Rock to a 1-0 victory over No. 23 East Stroudsburg in the PSAC Women's Soccer Semifinals on Friday afternoon.

With the win, Slippery Rock advances to the PSAC Championship Match this Sunday, where they will play the winner of Edinboro and West Chester.

The Warriors, who are currently ranked fifth in the Atlantic Region and 23^rd in all of Division II, will await to see if they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA DII Tournament. ESU had reached the PSAC Championship Match in five straight seasons before this year, and won PSAC Titles in four of the last five seasons.

ESU (14-6) controlled play for the majority of the match and outshot Slippery Rock (18-3) by a 15-7 mark overall, including a 7-4 margin in shots on goal. Haley Skove registered a game-high five shots, Melissa Herrera tallied three, and Corryn Gamber added a pair.

Mauri Jackson, who came up with a huge save on a penalty kick in regulation, finished with three saves in net for the Warriors. Emma Yoder stopped seven shots to collect the win in goal for Slippery Rock.

Slippery Rock had the game's first true scoring opportunity in the 22^nd minute of play. Off a corner kick, Brook Riefenstahl picked up a loose ball at the top of the six-yard box and sent a shot on target that was turned away by Jackson. The rebound bounced over to Johnson in dangerous territory, but her shot sailed just high of the crossbar.

The Warriors countered minutes later with one of their best scoring threats of the half, as Skove connected with a header, sending it toward the lower left corner of the goal. Yoder was able to make a diving save to her right to preserve the scoreless game.

ESU applied more pressure towards the latter part of the half, recording three more shots on target through the rest of the stanza. Herrera fired off shots on goal in the 33^rd and 36^th minutes, and Skove registered another shot in the final minute, but all three attempts were saved by Yoder, who finished with four saves in the half.

ESU outshot Slippery Rock by a 7-2 margin in the opening half, while the Rock had a 2-0 advantage on corners.

In the early minutes of the second half, Skove sent in a long throw-in from the sideline which was headed over to Gamber near the left post. Gamber's shot from in close went just wide of the post, as the match remained 0-0.

In the 68^th minute, Slippery Rock worked the ball into scoring territory and drew a foul inside the box, resulting in a penalty kick. Georgia Nagucki attempted to tuck the penalty shot inside the left post, but Jackson made an outstanding diving save to keep the game scoreless.

Minutes later, the Warriors nearly got on the board after a great individual effort from Herrera, who was named the PSAC East Freshman of the Year yesterday. The rookie deked her defender just outside the box and curled a shot that was ticketed for the upper right corner, but Yoder turned it away once again with a sprawling save to her left.

ESU and Slippery Rock weren't able to break through for the go-ahead goal through the remainder of regulation, as the game headed into overtime.

Early in the overtime period, Slippery Rock earned a corner kick and sent the cross into the middle of the box. Rachel Edge redirected a header towards goal, and Jackson came off her line to try to corral the loose ball. As Jackson went up into the air, contact with Slippery Rock's Kayla Swope knocked the ball loose and it bounced over to Johnson, who poked it into the back of the net for the game-winner to send The Rock off with the 1-0 win.

Slippery Rock will play in the PSAC Championship match, which will take place this Sunday, November 17 at 1 p.m.