Box Score

Junior Lauren Taylor completed a first-half hat trick as the No. 1-ranked Shippensburg University field hockey team held off a pesky Mansfield squad on Saturday afternoon, 6-3, from the Mountaineers' Spaulding Field.

Taylor scored at the seventh minute with an unassisted shot from the left side nearly 20 yards out. She added her second goal 18 minutes in when she sent in a cross from the right side from junior Katie Shoop, and her third 10 minutes later on an unassisted breakaway from 10 yards out. It was the first hat trick of Taylor's career and only her second multi-goal performance.

Less than a minute into the second half, the Raiders (8-1, 2-1 PSAC West) extended their lead to 4-0 when sophomore Ari Saytar scored in front of the cage off a penalty corner assist from senior Emily Kohlbus.

The Mountaineers (3-5, 0-3) would not lay down, however, as MU's Lacey Croasdale and Kristy Tutorow each scored in a less-than two-and-a-half minute span after Saytar's goal to pull Mansfield to within 4-2.

Saytar scored again nearly five minutes into the half – on a penalty stroke – to quickly cease the Mountaineer momentum and put SU back up 5-2. Mansfield scored again at the 49th minute, but junior Bre White effectively ended the rally with under five minutes left in regulation with her 10th goal of the season for a three-goal Shippensburg margin.

The Raiders return home on Tuesday with a 3 p.m. contest against Mercyhurst from Robb Sports Complex.