Box Score

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Senior forward Gayle Kuntzmann scored two goals for the Shippensburg University women's soccer team on Tuesday night from Eiler-Martin Stadium but the homestanding Warriors scored with five seconds remaining in regulation to force a 2-2 tie with the Lady Raiders.

Shippensburg (5-7-3, 2-4-3 PSAC East) appeared to be headed toward a much-needed victory in the 84th minute when Kuntzmann scored the second of her goals off an assist from freshman Katie Leverentz. However, ESU forward Crystal Zerbe scored with five seconds remaining to send the contest into overtime.

Kuntzmann opened the scoring in the third minute with an unassisted goal that helped the Lady Raiders open up a 1-0 lead that lasted through the intermission period. Warrior forward Devon Miniscalco tied the score at 1-1 in the 52nd minute before Shippensburg answered late.

East Stroudsburg (10-4-2, 4-3-2 PSAC East) held a vast advantage in shots (35-6) and corner kicks (10-1) but the Lady Raiders were resilient behind a strong defensive effort captained by graduate goalkeeper Beth Long, who made 11 saves in the contest.

Long has now made 99 saves this season and is just 19 saves short of the school record with three divisional games still remaining on the schedule. She made two impressive stops from close range in the second overtime period that preserved the much-needed point for the Lady Raiders.

The teams tied both meetings this season, as the previous matchup on September 16 from David See Field ended 1-1. Overall, the two teams have evenly split the last six meetings (2-2-2).

Tuesday night's last-minute goal adds to the string of unfortunate luck that has beset the Lady Raider soccer team over the past two seasons. Five of Shippensburg's seven losses in 2009 have been by one goal and on two occasions the game-deciding goal has been scored against the Lady Raiders with less than 90 seconds to play.

On September 19, Millersville scored a goal with just 48 seconds remaining to earn a 1-0 victory over the Lady Raiders. Two weeks earlier at West Chester, the Lady Raiders fired a shot off the crossbar with two minutes remaining before the Golden Rams collected the rebound and eventually scored with 69 seconds left to take a 1-0 victory.

Last season, seven of Shippensburg's eight losses were by just one goal. Four of those contests were decided in the final minutes or in overtime, including the contest held at East Stroudsburg last season in which Megan Keiser scored with 1:58 to play to give the Warriors a 3-2 victory. Perhaps the most heartbreaking of those defeats last season came when Mansfield scored with seven seconds remaining in regulation to earn a 2-1 victory.

Perhaps the most critical game of the season awaits Shippensburg on Saturday at 1 p.m. when the Lady Raiders travel to face PSAC Eastern Division opponent Bloomsburg. The Huskies sit in fourth place in the division with 11 points while the Lady Raiders are just two points behind in fifth place. The top four teams from the division qualify for the PSAC Tournament.