SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University field hockey team scored a golden goal less than a minute into overtime Thursday to win a nonconference match over visiting Messiah, 1-0, on a clear and chilly night at Robb Sports Complex.
 
Shippensburg (10-4) took almost no time finding the golden goal, scoring 53 seconds in overtime on sophomore Kylie Huffman's first goal of the season. Junior Katelyn Grazan opened overtime by dribbling quickly into Messiah's (8-5) territory and forcing a penalty corner.
 
Grazan then took the corner and found Huffman at the top of the arc. Huffman wrestled with a Messiah defender for possession then dribbled right and laced a shot through the defense for the game-winning tally.
 
A perennial national power at the Division III level, Messiah entered the 2015 season having won eight straight conference titles. An inspired effort by the Falcons allowed them to record five shots on goal to Shippensburg's two. Messiah took five penalty corners while the Raiders took four.

Both teams struggled finding extended amounts of possession as the defenses limited opportunities within the arc.
 
Senior Taylor Webster made five saves in her 10th win of the season for Shippensburg, including a couple of key stops late in regulation as Messiah applied pressure.
 
Shippensburg returns to PSAC play Wednesday with a home match against East Stroudsburg, beginning at 4 p.m.