Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University field hockey team scored six times in the first half on Tuesday afternoon – including five tallies in a 7-minute, 12-second span – to take control of its PSAC Western Division matchup with Mercyhurst before finishing with a 7-0 victory over the Lakers from Robb Sports Complex.

Shippensburg (9-1, 3-1 PSAC West), dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the NFHCA Division II National Poll released earlier in the day, recorded a 21-0 shots margin in the first half and finished the contest by out-shooting the Lakers 34-5. The Raiders also boasted a 16-6 margin in penalty corners.

The two teams played a relatively even match through the first 10 minutes before a great play near the midfield set up the scoring chance that produced the first goal. With the ball on the far side of the turf near the edge of the Raiders' third, senior Taylor Jones smacked a cross-field pass that ended up on the stick of senior Emily Kohlbus, who was racing up the near sideline.

Kohlbus was fouled during her run into the scoring arc, resulting in a penalty corner. On the corner, senior Sam Langone had a shot stopped at point-blank range by Mercyhurst goalkeeper Jess Wess, but junior Lauren Taylor lofted the rebound into the top-right portion of the net to put SU up 1-0 at the 11:30 mark.

Just over one minute later, sophomore Lucinda Kauffman scored her first career goal after sending a shot toward the right corner of the cage that rolled beside a Kohlbus screen and past the keeper. Fifty-six seconds after Kauffman's goal, junior Bre White delivered her 11th goal of the season by hammering home a rebound off a shot by Langone.

At 15:25, Kohlbus finished a splendid crossing pass from Taylor into the right side of the cage to make it 4-0 Shippensburg. Before the half was over, sophomore Tori Ricker and freshman Shelby Anderson had scored goals to put the Raiders up by six entering halftime. Anderson assisted on Ricker's goal, while junior Brittany Jett had the helper on Anderson's tally.

The only goal of the second half came with 13:20 remaining when junior Katie Shoop sent a shot toward the goal that made its way through traffic and into the back of the cage.

Senior Ciarra Delost earned the victory and did not have to make a save in the first half. Freshman Taylor Webster was the goalkeeper for the final 35 minutes and was credited with four saves.

Shippensburg will host back-to-back PSAC crossover matches this weekend. On Friday, SU will host No. 3 Bloomsburg at 4 p.m. before taking on No. 7 Millersville at 2 p.m. Saturday. Both games will be held at Robb Sports Complex.