SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University men's soccer team engaged in an offensive shootout with visiting Mercyhurst on Saturday but fell to the Lakers, 4-3, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup on a rain-soaked David See Field.
 
Shippensburg (5-7, 2-6 PSAC) jumped ahead of PSAC-leading Mercyhurst (8-3-1, 6-1) after a header from sophomore Patrick Luebbe found the back of the net off a sensational cross from sophomore Joey Gallucci.
 
Mercyhurst countered with four goals from leading scorer Thom Derks to take a commanding 4-1 lead with just over 15 minutes left to play.
 
Junior Jan Striewe buried his first of two goals off a throw in from senior Colten Arnold in the 81st minute to trim the Raider deficit to just two goals.
 
Just 28 seconds later, Striewe buried his second on the day off a loose ball from 30 yards out to trim the Mercyhurst advantage to one goal with a little under nine minutes to play.
 
Shippensburg kept the pressure on Mercyhurst with three late corner kick attempts but none would eventually find the back of the net to force overtime.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Matt Harder made six saves in relief of redshirt-freshman Garret Watson after Watson left the game due to injury.
 
Six of SU's seven losses this season have come by a one-goal margin. Overall, 26 of the last 28 Raider defeats dating back to the middle of the 2013 season have been by just one goal.
 
Shippensburg will return to action Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Millersville.