SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Senior
Lucy Kauffman scored on a penalty corner just 64 seconds into Tuesday's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Quarterfinal to ultimately propel the Shippensburg University field hockey team to a 1-0 victory over Slippery Rock at Robb Sports Complex.
Shippensburg (15-3) advances to face No. 2 Millersville at 3:30 p.m. Friday in a PSAC Semifinal from West Chester University's Vonnie Gros Field. SU will be participating in the conference semifinals for the 14th consecutive year when it faces the Marauders on Friday.
Kauffman's goal came on the first penalty corner of the match. Sophomore
Suzanne Muller received the entry from senior
Tori Ricker and tapped the ball over to Kauffman, who slammed a shot that traveled with such velocity it went past two potential deflections and went five-hole through a screened goalkeeper.
Each team had three shots on goal in the first half, but the Raiders were held without a shot on goal in the second half. SU did manage a 9-8 margin in total shots and an 11-3 advantage in penalty corners.
Junior goalkeeper
Taylor Webster, pressed into service for just her third start of the season, was integral to the Raider cause in Tuesday's quarterfinal. Webster made a career-high six saves – three in each half – in posting her second solo shutout of the year for the Raiders.
Among her many solid stops included a double-pad save midway through the first half and a point-blank stop early in the second half in a one-on-one matchup with Kailee Krupski.
Slippery Rock (9-10) had its best scoring chance on its second penalty corner in the second half, sliding two shots toward the goal at close range and SU sophomore
Taylor Fisher keeping her stick along the goal-line to prevent a would-be tying goal.
SU has lost its last two PSAC Tournament matchups with Millersville, falling 1-0 in last year's PSAC Championship match and 1-0 in 2012 in a semifinal also held at West Chester. The Raiders and Marauders each split the regular-season series, winning on the other's home turf.
The ball rolls precariously close to the goal line in the second half.
Taylor Fisher's defense saved a potential goal in the second half.
Lucy Kauffman's shot that resulted in SU's goal.
Kauffman's shot rolls through the goalkeeper's legs toward the goal.
SU celebrates Kauffman's early goal.
Kauffman's goal was her first of the year; she had eight assists in 2014 entering Tuesday.
Cassie Rawa
Emily Barnard
Kendall Beck
Kim Wallace
Tori Ricker
Tori Ricker
Taylor Webster
Suzanne Muller
Taylor Fisher
Rajchel Moore
Kylie Huffman
Molly Stuart
Madison Scarr
