SLIPPERY ROCK - The Slippery Rock University women's softball team is seeded third in the PSAC West and will open conference tournament play Friday at Lock Haven.

SRU, making its first appearance in the PSAC tournament in 25 years, finished 7-9 in league play, trailing California (Pa.) (13-1) and Edinboro (7-7).

The Rock will face Shippensburg, the No. 2 seed in the PSAC East, at 11 a.m. Friday in the double-elimination tournament.

The winner of that game faces Lock Haven at 1 p.m. The two losers will then play at 3 p.m. in an elimination game.

The two remaining teams will meet at 1 p.m. Saturday, with a second game to follow, if necessary.

Nine teams qualified for the 2009 PSAC Tournament under a new system. Lock Haven is one of three mini-tournaments, with the winners advancing to a single-elimination championship tournament next weekend.

Kutztown is hosting Edinboro and Mansfield this weekend while California hosts East Stroudsburg and Bloomsburg. Mars graduate Monica Glomb pitches for Kutztown.

SRU is making its first appearance in the PSAC tourney in 25 years.

Despite five goals from Casey Quinn, SRU fell to Indiana (Pa.) by a score of 13-11.

SRU senior forward Denell Stephens was named honorable mention all-American by the Division II Bulletin.The 6-foot-4 Stephens averaged 20.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, finishing fourth and second in the PSAC, respectively.He also led the conference in offensive rebounds at 3.8 per game. SRU finished 21-8 last season.