SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University field hockey team will host Northeast-10 (NE10) opponent Stonehill on Saturday at 1 p.m. in an NCAA Division II Quarterfinal matchup from Robb Sports Complex. The winner will advance to the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Semifinals next week in Kentucky.
 
Shippensburg is the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Region and the No. 3 overall seed in the 2017 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships. Stonehill is the No. 3 seed in the East region and the No. 6 overall seed.
 
Shippensburg is in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year and the 13th time in school history. SU is 7-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Raiders are seeking their ninth NCAA Semifinals appearance (2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016).
 
The Skyhawks, competing in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year and ninth time overall, are seeking their sixth NCAA Semifinals appearance (2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015).
 
Saturday's meeting is the first between the two teams in 13 years. The last time that Shippensburg and Stonehill faced off was an epic regular-season matchup in Massachusetts – a 7-6 overtime victory for the Raiders on Oct. 24, 2004. It is the third overall meeting between these two teams.
 
About the Matchup:
 
Shippensburg (14-4) boasts one of the more dynamic offenses in the country, as the Raiders lead the country in penalty corners per game (13.06) and rank fifth in goals per game (3.56).
 
Senior forward and captain Emily Barnard, the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Athlete of the Year, averages a goal per game and ranks fifth in the nation for the category. Her 2.17 points per game also ranks fifth. Barnard has 44 career goals and 102 career points to her credit entering Saturday's game.
 
Redshirt-junior Ally Mooney is a reigning All-American in goal for the Raiders and serves the team as a defensive captain. Mooney ranks among the Top 10 keepers in the country in save percentage (.771) this season while equaling her career high with 84 saves.
 
Senior midfielder and captain Brooke Sheibley is a two-time All-PSAC selection who provides critical support for the Raiders both offensively and defensively. Sheibley, who entered her senior season with two career goals and seven career assists, has recorded five goals and six assists this year to rank fourth on the team in scoring.
 
Freshman Jazmin Petrantonio, the 2017 PSAC Freshman of the Year, ranks second in the country in assists per game (0.73). Earlier this season, Petrantonio set the NCAA Division II single-game record with assists on all six SU goals in a 6-1 victory over Millersville.
 
SU was defeated in the PSAC Semifinals by West Chester, the eventual conference champion, 1-0 last Friday. The Raiders are 14-0 this season in matches they score at least one goal, as all four of Shippensburg's losses this season have been shutouts.  
 
Stonehill (13-6) boasts the top scorer in the country. Back-to-back NE10 Player of the Year Kacie Smith, a junior forward from Norwood, Massachusetts, has matched the NCAA Division II record with 40 goals this season, equaling the record set by Bloomsburg's Jamie Vanartsdalen in 2008. Her 97 points are just five shy of Vanartsdalen's NCAA II single-season scoring mark of 102 points in 2008. Smith has a goal in 17 of Stonehill's 19 games this season, including nine game-winning goals.
 
The Skyhawks, bolstered by Smith's historic production, lead the nation in goals per game (4.21). Sophomore Michaela Antonellis, an NE10 First Team selection this season, bolsters the back lines for Stonehill; she has three defensive saves on the year to go along with four goals and four assists. Antonellis provides an active stick on penalty corners both offensively and defensively for the Skyhawks.
 
Around the Nation:
 
In the other NCAA Quarterfinal being held Saturday, Saint Anselm (No. 2 in East, No. 4 overall) will host Millersville (No. 3 in Atlantic, No. 5 overall).
 
LIU Post (No. 1 in East, No. 1 overall) and East Stroudsburg (No. 1 in Atlantic, No. 2 overall) earned byes into the NCAA Semifinals by virtue of their top seeds.
 
The winner of the Shippensburg-Stonehill matchup will face East Stroudsburg at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 17. Meanwhile, the winner of the Saint Anselm-Millersville matchup will face LIU Post at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 17. Both semifinal matches will be hosted by Bellarmine University.