SLIPPERY ROCK — Macy McCall was too quick.

Steph Croll was too sharp.

Sedona Campbell was too strong.

And the rest of the Slippery Rock High girls basketball was just too relentless.

The Rockets used a smothering defense, clutch shooting and dominance on the glass to dispatch Grove City at home Thursday night, 62-35.

“The Slippery Rock girls, hats off to them,” said Grove City coach Chris Burtch. “They just systematically did what they had to do to expose ... us.”

Grove City was also hamstrung by an injury early in the game to leading scorer and rebounder Hannah Santom.

The senior forward hit a layup, but turned her right ankle and was helped off the floor.

Santom, who came in averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Eagles, had her ankle heavily wrapped and could be seen behind the Grove City bench trying to run and move laterally throughout the remainder of the first half and the third quarter, but just couldn't go.

She sat dejected for the rest of the game with her ankle packed in ice as Slippery Rock used a 15-0 run to turn a 10-point game late in the third quarter to one that was far out of reach.

“Obviously with Santom out, it's a whole different game for them,” said Slippery Rock coach Amber Osborn. “That's really unfortunate for them. I really feel for her and for Chris.”

When Santom went out, Slippery Rock was up 9-6, but went on a quick 8-3 run to make it 17-9 and led 25-18 at the half.

Grove City (8-10, 4-6) got as close as five in the third quarter before the Rockets took control.

Campbell was a big part of that. She scored 10 of her 16 points in the second half and also added 14 rebounds. She had 10 boards in the first 10 minutes of the game as Slippery Rock doubled up Grove City on the glass (36-18).

“Our girls did play really hard,” Osborn said. “Sometimes I think we did go up with the intent of getting fouled instead of trying to make it and we were just doinking it off the backboard. But we were going up and getting it and getting second and third chances. That was a big momentum boost for us.”

After shooting a woeful 18 percent from the floor and scoring just three first-half points in a loss last week to Girard and then following that up with a setback to Mercyhurst Prep, Slippery Rock needed a bounce-back game in a big way.

It got it.

The Rockets (13-4, 8-1) shot 39 percent from the field, but were 15-of-28 in the second half.

Croll heated up and scored 16 points — including four 3-pointers — and McCall was solid on both ends with 12 points and was relentless on defense.

“We shot four percent in the first half — everyone lays an egg at some point,” Osborn said of the Girard game. “I'm glad that we bounced back because we definitely needed a game like today.”

With Santom out, Grove City got key minutes from Lily Burtch, Abby Biddle and Katie McDowell.

Abby Fulkerson led the Eagles with 16 points and single-handedly put her team on her shoulders without Santom.

“She's a warrior,” Burtch said. “She played great. I'm proud of my kids. I thought they battled hard.”

GROVE CITY 35

Halle Culmer 1-1 2-3 4, Carli Cook 2-5 0-0 5, Abby Fulkerson 6-9 4-4 16, Abby Biddle 3-8 0-0 6, Hannah Santom 1-1 0-0 2, Katie McDowell 0-0 0-0 0, Lily Burtch 1-3 0-0 2, Emma Isenberg 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Wentz 0-0 0-0 0, Tayler Persinger 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 14-28 6-7 35.

SLIPPERY ROCK 62

Steph Croll 5-13 2-2 16, Elena McDermott 2-5 0-0 5, Bailey Boyd 2-4 0-0 4, Macy McCall 3-8 6-9 12, Sedona Campbell 7-17 2-3 16, Hannah Willison 0-0 0-0 0, Jenna Hetzenrater 1-4 0-0 2, Julia Steele 0-2 0-0 0, Jenna Whitmer 3-6 0-0 7. Totals: 23-59 10-14.

Grove City 9 9 15 2 — 35

Slippery Rock17 8 22 15 — 62

3-point goals: Grove City 1 (Cook); Slippery Rock 6 (Croll 4, McDermott, Whitmer)

Saturday: Central at Grove City

Monday: Slippery Rock at Hickory