EASTON, Mass. - The Lady Raider field hockey team put forth a determined effort against the No. 1 team in the nation on Friday afternoon from W.B. Mason Stadium on the campus of Stonehill College but ultimately dropped a 4-2 decision to Bloomsburg in the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Semifinals.

Shippensburg (20-3) concludes the 2009 campaign having matched the franchise record for victories in a season, a mark that was originally set in 2005. The Lady Raiders reached the national semifinals for the second consecutive season, with the team's only three setbacks in 2009 coming at the hands of the Huskies.

"It was a great game, as it always is between Shippensburg and Bloomsburg," said head coach Bertie Landes following the contest. "I'm really proud of this team and where they've come."

SU opened the scoring in the eighth minute of play off a penalty corner. Shippensburg, who led the PSAC this season in penalty corner opportunities, capitalized when freshman defender Ashley Taylor fired a volley into the cage off an assist from senior Laura Wylde.

Just three minutes later, the Huskies countered with a goal of their own off a penalty corner. Erin Hench finished a pass from Aubrey Carmen with a re-direct past drawn out senior goalkeeper Amanda Houser to tie the score at 1-1.

The nerves for both teams began to settle down and while each squad recorded some penalty corner opportunities the score remained tied at 1-1 entering the intermission. Shippensburg mustered eight penalty corner opportunities to just one for Bloomsburg over the first 35 minutes of play while firing seven shots in the opening half.

Two minutes into the second half, Bloomsburg forward Amanda Riley nearly gave the Huskies the lead off a penalty corner but her second of back-to-back shot attempts was prevented with an excellent defensive save by senior Lois Kaschenbach. She added another marvelous defensive save in the 63rd minute to prevent another goal.

Bloomsburg (21-1) ultimately rode its early offensive momentum in the second half to a lead, when Maggie Bloskey scored off a rebound in the 40th minute that gave the Huskies a 2-1 lead. The margin was extended to 3-1 in the 47th minute with a goal by Riley off an assist from Bloskey.

Undaunted, the Lady Raiders continued to press and got within one goal of Bloomsburg with just over eight minutes to play. Shippensburg advanced with a rush up the right side in the 62nd minute when sophomore Kristina Taylor sent a cross that was finished by sophomore Katie Pufnock for her seventh goal of the season.

A penalty corner with five-and-a-half minutes to play nearly resulted in the game-tying goal, but Shippensburg sent a shot that was deflected just wide of the cage. Approximately one minute later, Bloomsburg's Aime Sgarlat increased the Husky lead to two goals with a shot from the edge of the circle that concluded the scoring for the contest.

"It's been an awesome opportunity and an awesome experience," senior Jamie Doughty said after the game. "We had a vision to make it here, and to do that in back-to-back years is such an honor and something that we don't take for granted."

Despite the goal margin fluctuating throughout the second half, the Lady Raiders never relinquished their fight and continued to work hard. In fact, Shippensburg finished the contest with a 12-9 advantage in shots and a total of eight penalty corners while limiting Bloomsburg to just three in the game.

"Everyone on our team played with so much heart and desire," Doughty said. "Whether we were getting calls or not getting calls, we were going for the ball and we were going at 100 percent."

Shippensburg's 2009 squad boasted an elaborate mix of young players and established veterans. The Lady Raiders featured seven seniors that over the course of their careers won 67 of their 89 total games. That group included Houser, Doughty, Kaschenbach, Wylde, Lauren Hollingsworth, Kim Tully and Mariah Wooters.

Doughty has been a valuable team leader and an outstanding forward who has made 59 career starts and appeared in 73 total games. Overall, she has scored 21 goals, including four game-winners, and recorded 18 assists for a total of 60 points. This season she ranked third on the team with nine goals, a new career-high. She was also a three-time selection to the NFHCA Division II National Academic squad.

"We have developed such a friendship on our team that the relationships that we have built are more important (than winning a national championship, as awesome as that would be)," Doughty said. "Our team is unlike all the others, and we made a commitment to each other this year on such a higher level on and off the field that it impacted lives, and that's what we're excited about."  

Hollingsworth has been one of the team's leading defenders over the last two seasons, making 52 starts over the course of her career while appearing in 73 games. This season she has made one defensive save while helping the defense hold opponents to 16 goals in 22 games.  Offensively, she scored her first career goal this season against C.W. Post and totaled four assists during her career.

Houser has appeared in 64 career games and compiled an incredible 41-10 record with 17 individual shutouts to her credit. Through more than 3,800 minutes of goaltending she has a 1.21 goals-against average and collected 296 saves which gives her a save percentage of .818. This season she led the nation with a 1.10 goals-against average and a save percentage of .854. She also helped captain a defense that totaled 13 shutouts this season - which is one short of a school record.

Kaschenbach joined the program in 2008 after two seasons spent at Division I Rhode Island University, during which she made three defensive saves in 17 career games. Lois is one of just four players to start in every game this season and has appeared in 32 games over the course of her SU career. A steady, reliable halfback, she has made three defensive saves this season and six in her career along with two assists.

Tully has been an integral midfielder and passer for the Lady Raiders through two-plus seasons of competition. Through 59 career games, Tully has made 42 starts and recorded four goals and eight assists for 16 career points. Perhaps the most memorable goal of her career came last season in overtime as Shippensburg recorded a 3-2 road victory at Mercyhurst which clinched a PSAC tournament appearance for the Lady Raiders.

Wooters, who injured her thumb in the PSAC Semifinals, has been an exceptional all-around athlete, playing in 73 games over the course of her career with 29 starts. Mariah scored three goals (including two game-winners) this season and ranked second on the team with six assists. For her career, she has totaled eight goals with 13 assists for 29 career points.

Wylde was one of the top forwards in Division II this season by totaling 13 goals and 29 points including seven game-winning goals. She also scored the winning goal in three overtime wins this season for the Lady Raiders. For her career, she has appeared in a team-high 80 games, making 23 starts, while scoring 33 goals and recording 11 assists. She has also twice been recognized by the NFHCA as a member of the Division II National Academic squad.

"These seven seniors committed to each other last spring to do some things off the field that hadn't been done before and do them in a positive way," Landes said. "This group has prayed together, played together and stayed together, and what else can you ask for when you have kids like that?"