SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The No. 2 Shippensburg University field hockey team yielded its first goal of the season six minutes into the second half Tuesday and could not net an equalizer, dropping a 1-0 decision to No. 1 Millersville at Robb Sports Complex.
 
Shippensburg (2-1, 0-1 PSAC) had two solid scoring chances against Millersville (2-0, 1-0 PSAC) – one coming less than five minutes into the game and the other with just more than five minutes left on the clock.
 
In the first half, SU managed early possession and an early penalty corner. After a clear, the ball re-entered the offensive zone and was sent to the right corner of the scoring arc. Sophomore Cassie Rawa slammed a shot that was stopped and dangled precariously close to the goal line, but MU goalkeeper Lauren Sotzin formed a wall with her blocker pads to deny the goal and prevent any rebound from making its way in.
 
With 5:24 remaining, and SU trailing by a goal, freshman Emily Barnard took a feed from sophomore Kendall Beck and sent a shot that ramped up Sotzin's pads and toward the top right corner of the goal, but a last-second mid-air tip off the stick of MU defender Kayla Bixler prevented the Raiders from achieving an equalizer.
 
The two teams combined for just 10 shots and eight penalty corners in the defensive clash, yet the visitors claimed the majority of the territorial edge.
 
Freshman Ally Mooney earned the start in goal and made three saves, including back-to-back stops on a penalty corner with seven minutes remaining.

Another key defensive play occurred just two minutes into the second half when senior defender Kim Wallace blocked a Kayla Bixler off a penalty corner for a defensive save. Wallace was the last line of defense for a shot that was sent screaming for the lower left corner of the cage.
 
Millersville's goal came at 41:33 on a rush by Alicia Youtz, who possessed the ball and ran up the far right side before sending a hard cross straight through the box. The ball evaded the dive of Mooney and hit the stick of Katelyn Zapp, whose lunging tip resulted in the contest's only tally.
 
The game marked the 80th meeting in the all-time series between Millersville and Shippensburg, a rivalry that has established itself as a showcase for the elite field hockey talent continuing to grow in Central Pennsylvania. A total of 33 players in uniform Tuesday between the two teams hailed from either the Lancaster-Lebanon League or Mid-Penn Conference.
 
SU remains at home Saturday when it hosts No. 8 East Stroudsburg at 1 p.m. from Robb Sports Complex.

The Raiders will hold Veterans Appreciation Day at the game; the ROTC Color Guard will be present during the national anthem and the SU players will personally recognize all veterans in attendance during halftime.