Gannon vs. Mercyhurst
Duffy Gallagher

Women's Basketball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Game Preview: No. 5/6 Golden Knights Seek Start to New Winning Streak Hosting Slippery Rock

SLIPPERY ROCK THE ROCK (2-17, 2-14 PSAC West) at No. 5/6 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (24-2, 16-1 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, February 14, 2024 | 5:30 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: Hagerty Family Events Center l Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS l LIVE VIDEO

GAME NOTES

THE GANNON-SLIPPERY ROCK ALL-TIME SERIES
Gannon leads 44-12  
In a series that first began in 1979-80 Gannon has won 12 of the last 13 meetings. The Golden Knights are looking for a sweep of the season series for the fourth straight season after claiming a 74-50 win at Slippery Rock on January 17.

The Last Meeting
Jan. 17, 2024 – Gannon 74, at Slippery Rock 50 I RECAP
Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) scored 18 points while Bri Claxon (South Webster, Ohio/South Webster) and Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne) added 12 points apiece. Ten different Golden Knights scored, including Ali Benim (Erie, Pa./Harbor Creek). The redshirt senior made her 2023-24 season debut with two minutes remaining and made her lone field goal attempt. She had missed the first 18 games while rehabbing an injury. Gannon limited SRU to 39.5 percent shooting from the floor and forced 17 turnovers.
 

ERIE, Pa. – Gannon saw its 21-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday with a 53-52 loss at Indiana (Pa.). Despite the setback, just the second of the season, the Golden Knights hold a two-game lead over IUP in the PSAC West and come in at 24-2 overall and 16-1 in conference action.

The Golden Knights will look to begin a new winning streak this week with home games against Slippery Rock on Wednesday, February 14 and Clarion on February 17. The Slippery Rock game tips off at 5:30 p.m. at Cathedral Prep's Hagerty Family Events Center.

Slippery Rock enters the week with a 2-17 record and is 2-14 in the PSAC West. First-year coach Ryenn Micaletti has seen her team open the season with six straight losses before defeating Shippensburg, followed by six more losses. After a 62-60 win vs. Clarion. The Rock has lost its last five games. SRU has lost all nine road games.

After being ranked second in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and third in the D2CSC Media Poll for three weeks Saturday's setback dropped Gannon three spots in both polls. The Golden Knights are now fifth in the WBCA rankings and sit in sixth place in the D2CSC poll.

The 21-game winning streak was the second-longest in school history, bettered only by a 37-game stretch in 2009-10.

Gannon has hit a bit of a lull offensively but the Golden Knights continue to play outstanding defense. They rank first in the PSAC and fifth in Division II in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 53.0 ppg. The Golden Knights have held nine opponents to 50 points or less. In addition, they lead the PSAC in turnover margin (+4.27) while ranking second in the PSAC in steals (10.2) and turnovers forced per game (20.15), along with third in field goal percentage defense (35.0 pct.). That figure is good for 18th nationally.

One player who continues to excel offensively is Sam Pirosko. The reigning PSAC West Athlete of the Year has now scored 20-or-more points in seven straight games after a 23-point effort at Indiana (Pa.). She is now leading the PSAC in scoring at 19.4 ppg., good for 15th in Division II. The 5-foot-10 redshirt senior became the third Gannon women's basketball player to reach 2,000 career points a week ago, with her total now sitting at 2,045 points. She has also moved up to sixth in career rebounds (797).

The Slippery Rock game will mark the 132nd of Pirosko's career, tying the school record currently held by Sydney Mitchell.  
 
THE LAST TIME OUT
Indiana (Pa.) 53, Gannon 52 – Gannon saw its 21-game winning streak come to an end with a one-point loss at Indiana (Pa.). The back-and-forth game featured 10 ties and 12 lead changes, with neither team holding more than a six-point lead. The defensive struggle saw Maddy Wheatley's (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) 3-poiinter tie the game at 52-52 with three minutes remaining. The only other point scored, and the game-winning point, came on an IUP free throw with 1:29 left. Gannon had a chance in the final seconds but Sam Pirosko's jumper was off the mark with four seconds left. IUP gathered in the rebound but then traveled. Gannon was unable to get off a clean shot after that. Sam Pirosko continued her hot play with 23 points but no other Golden Knight reached double digits. Gannon shot 33.9 percent from the floor (20-of-59).  

California (Pa.) 72, Slippery Rock 53 – Slippery Rock trailed by just four points at the half at California (Pa.) at 35-31 but the second half was another matter. The Vulcans outscored The Rock 15-8 in the third quarter and 22-14 in the fourth to hand Slippery Rock its fifth straight loss. SRU was held to 37.5 percent shooting from the floor and committed 24 turnovers. Cal also dominated the glass 46-28. Kristina Donza led three players in double figures with 15 points.

Gannon Falls Three Spots in Latest National Polls
After sitting as high as second in the Division II national rankings for the last three weeks the Gannon women's basketball team slipped back slightly this week following the 53-52 loss at Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday. The Golden Knights fell three spots in both the WBCA Top 25 and D2CSC Media Poll. They are now fifth in the former and sixth in the latter. Gannon did receive one first place vote in the D2CSC poll. The second place ranking had been the highest attained by the Golden Knights since they were also second throughout the first half of the 2013-14 season. The WBCA poll at that time was the USA Today Sports Division II Top 25.
 
21-Game Streak Second-Longest in School History
Gannon had not lost a game for three months until being nipped at the end by a point at Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday. The 53-52 setback snapped a 21-game winning streak. That is the second-longest in school history, bettered only by a 37-game winning streak to start the 2009-10 season. Long winning streaks are almost common for head coach Cleve Wright's teams. A year ago the Golden Knights had a 12-game winning streak and later an 11-game winning streak. The 2020-21 team enjoyed a nine-game winning streak. All told Wright's Gannon teams have now had eight winning streaks of ten games or more. In 2006-07 Gannon won 10 straight games, and the 2008-09 team matched that and also had a nine-game winning streak. Wright's last team in his first tenure in 2012-13 team won 14 straight games. The next year the Golden Knights won 17 games in a row under Jim Brunelli. The 1977-78 team also won 18 straight games, which was previously the second-longest until recently.
 
Pirosko Third Golden Knight to Join the 2000-Point Club
With 7:35 remaining in the second quarter last Wednesday against Edinboro Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) made the first of two free throws for her 2,000th career point. The redshirt senior joined Rona Nesbit (2,340 points) and Kristin Roseberry (2,147) as the third Gannon women's basketball player to reach the milestone.  She ended the night with 27 points, then scored 23 points on Saturday at IUP to boost her career total to 2,045 points.

Trailing at Halftime a Rarity
Last Wednesday's 57-54 win over Edinboro featured a rarity for the Golden Knights. Gannon had previously trailed just once this season at the half that coming against Glenville State. It ended up being Gannon's lone loss of the season. Edinboro held a 26-24 lead at intermission but Gannon outscored the Fighting Scots 19-12 in the third quarter to regain the lead. 

Pirosko Aiming for Longevity Record
Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) ranks among Gannon's career record-holders in numerous categories. On Wednesday she will tie one that speaks for her longevity. Pirosko will play in her 132nd game when she takes the court against Slippery Rock. That will tie the school record currently held by Sydney Mitchell.

Freshmen Playing Huge Role in Team's Success
Prior to the start of the season head coach Cleve Wright extolled the virtues of a recruiting class that included six freshmen plus transfers Trinitee Harris (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Central) and Carissa Dunham (Fairview, Pa./Villa Maria). Harris and Dunham have been valuable contributors in the backcourt while combining for 35 starts. But the play of the freshmen has been instrumental in Gannon's 24-2 record. Including redshirt freshman Andrea Maibach (Creston, Ohio/Norwayne), the first-year performers have combined to make 19 starts. The 6-foot-2 post player is averaging 6.7 ppg. and 4.4 rpg. Six-foot guard Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) has started the last ten games and is averaging 5.2 ppg. and 3.0 rpg. with 38 steals. Wright has entrusted a pair of freshmen with key minutes at point guard. Olivia Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) is averaging 13.5 minutes per game and Tori Mayes (Lake City, Pa./Cathedral Prep) just under ten. Mayes has started five games this season. At any given time 2-3 freshmen can be found on the court.

Sam on a Roll
Samantha Pirosko (Eastlake, Ohio/Eastlake North) has been on a roll of late, averaging 25.3 ppg. over the last seven games. She scored a career-high 35 points recently vs. Mercyhurst to move into third place in career scoring at Gannon. On Saturday she recorded her seventh straight game with 20-or-more points, finishing with 23 points at Indiana (Pa.). The 35-point outing vs. Mercyhurst was her sixth game of 30-or-more points in her career.

Golden Knights Achieve Ninth 20-Win Season Under Wright
Gannon recently reached 20 wins with a 69-44 win over Mercyhurst. The 24-2 record marks the ninth 20-win season under head coach Cleve Wright and the third in a row. In fact, factor out the abbreviated 2020-21 COVID-19 season when Gannon finished at 13-1 and it is four straight 20-win seasons since Wright returned for his second tenure as Gannon's head coach. He departed after the 2012-13 season with back-to-back 20-win campaigns. In other words, Wright has now led the Golden Knights to six straight 20-win seasons when factoring out the COVID season.

Pirosko Third Among Active Scorers in Division II
Samantha Pirokso is currently third in Division II in active scoring. Pirosko has scored 2,045 career points. Carson-Newman's Braelyn Wykle is the leading active scorer in Division II with 2,511 points, with Annie Roshak of Ashland is next with 2,209 points.

Gannon D Among the Elite
Gannon's defense ranks among the best in Division II in numerous categories. The Golden Knights rank first in the PSAC and fifth in Division II in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 53.0 ppg. The Golden Knights have held nine opponents to 50 points or less. In addition, they lead the PSAC in turnover margin (+4.27) while ranking second in the PSAC in steals (10.2) and turnovers forced per game (20.15), along with third in field goal percentage defense (35.0 pct.). That figure is good for 18th nationally.

Scouting Slippery Rock
First-year coach Ryenn Micaletti faced a major rebuilding job at Slippery Rock when she took over. SRU started the season with six straight losses before presenting Micaletti with her first career win, a 49-32 victory over Shippensburg, Since that time The Rock has lost four games in a row, including a 74-53 decision to California (Pa.). SRU comes in averaging 53.2 ppg., 17th in the PSAC, while allowing 68.3 ppg. That figure ranks 13th. Regan Atkins and Kristina Donza are scoring in double digits at 14.7 ppg. and 11.4 ppg. Atkins is a 5'9" freshman who is shooting 54.3 percent from the floor while adding 4.5 rpg., second on the team. Donza is a 5'9" redshirt junior who leads the team with 17 3-pointers in 68 attempts. No other SRU player comes in at six points per game.

Next for the Golden Knights
Gannon returns to Hagerty Family Events Center for its fifth game in the last six outings hosting Clarion on Saturday, February 17. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Ali Benim

#10 Ali Benim

G
5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

G
5' 7"
Sophomore
Andrea Maibach

#34 Andrea Maibach

P
6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
Samantha Pirosko

#44 Samantha Pirosko

P
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

G
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Undeclared
Olivia Cernuto

#5 Olivia Cernuto

G
5' 7"
Freshman
Trinitee Harris

#11 Trinitee Harris

PG
5' 7"
Junior
Carissa Dunham

#13 Carissa Dunham

G
5' 7"
Sophomore
Tori Mayes

#15 Tori Mayes

PG
5' 4"
Freshman
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

G
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ali Benim

#10 Ali Benim

5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
G
Bri Claxon

#12 Bri Claxon

5' 7"
Sophomore
G
Andrea Maibach

#34 Andrea Maibach

6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
P
Samantha Pirosko

#44 Samantha Pirosko

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
P
Maddy Wheatley

#4 Maddy Wheatley

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Undeclared
G
Olivia Cernuto

#5 Olivia Cernuto

5' 7"
Freshman
G
Trinitee Harris

#11 Trinitee Harris

5' 7"
Junior
PG
Carissa Dunham

#13 Carissa Dunham

5' 7"
Sophomore
G
Tori Mayes

#15 Tori Mayes

5' 4"
Freshman
PG
Kate Ratliff

#23 Kate Ratliff

6' 0"
Freshman
G