Inline hockey flourishing at SRU
SLIPPERY ROCK— It's hockey, it's cheaper and it's growing.
The Slippery Rock University Inline Hockey Club, now in its fifth year, is a funded club sport for the first time and will be playing in the Eastern Collegiate Roller Hockey Association this year.
SRU's travel team consists of 10 skaters and two goaltenders. The organization also has four teams of eight skaters and one goalie each that compete in a league at Neville Island.
"We're just a group of guys who got together and wanted to play hockey together,"club president Eric Viletto said. "The club started out with a few guys and expanded pretty quickly."
There are 35 players in the club now. The university gave the organization $5,000 this year to help with its expenses.
Viletto, a North Allegheny graduate, said the club's operating budget is about $10,000.
Goaltender Eric Lancy, a Cranberry Township resident and Seneca Valley graduate, is a goaltender on the travel team. He had played ice hockey and inline hockey since he was 7 before recently dropping ice hockey.
"Inline is less expensive and it's still just as much fun,"Lancy said. "The game is still fast-paced and I probably face a few more shots per game playing inline."
Zelienople residents Adam Keplinger and Scott McNaugher are also on the travel team. Keplinger is captain of the squad.
Other travel team members are Shaler graduates Andy Kowalewski, Brian Hamilton and Brett Moser; North Allegheny graduates Nick Brunson, Viletto and Brian Steinmiller; Woodland Hills graduate T.J. Elton and Hermitage residents Brent Porter and Justin Kraynak.
The team opens its first regular travel season Saturday as it hosts three opponents at Harmarville Blade Runners. League play takes place on weekends, three games at a time.
"We're optimistic we're going to do well,"Lancy said. "We have meetings and practice once a week, along with our games at Neville Island.
"We don't have a coach. Eric and Adam run the team, but we all have a say in what goes on. We draw technique on a board, go over it, get on the same page — we're very confident in our system."
SRUplayed three ECHRAexhibition games last weekend in Feasterville, Pa., and won them all. It defeated Maine 4-3, Briarcliffe 120-3 and Ramapo (N.J.) 11-3.
"Maine is ranked in the top 25 nationally, that was our first game and we won,"Keplinger said. "I think that will set the tone for our season.
"It's going to be easier finding players from here on out. Now that we're a club-funded program, it's going to take off."
All of SRU's teams have reached the playoffs at Neville Island the past two years.
"Our quality of play has gotten better each year,"Viletto said. "Most of our players are from Western Pennsylvania, and as high school (inline) hockey improves, our program improves."
