The Shippensburg University lacrosse team took control in the second half Saturday at Wilmington to win, 13-9, in the season opener for the team and head coaching debut of Nicole Miller.
 
SU (1-0) allowed the Wildcats to score the first goal of the second half, which tied the game at 6-6. However, the Raiders tallied the next three goals and seven of the game's final 10 scores to pick up the victory.
 
Junior Allison Fugate led the SU attack with a team-high four goals and an assist. Sophomore Madi Newman, senior Amanda Frank and junior Jordan Kengor each added two goals apiece to the Raider effort.
 
The game was full of runs as the two teams traded spans of three straight goals five times. SU started with three consecutive tallies before Wilmington tied the score at 3-3. The two teams repeated the same order of scoring to make it a 6-6 game early in the second half. Junior T.J. Johnson scored her first goal of the season at the 17:18 mark of the second half to give SU a lead it wouldn't relinquish.
 
Fugate then scored back-to-back goals to make it 9-6, Raiders. Wilmington was able to cut the SU lead to one at 10-9 with a goal at the 5:54 mark, but the Raiders finished the job behind Fugate, who scored all four of her goals in the second half.
 
Defensively the Raiders were anchored by junior Makenzie Magnotta and senior Annemarie Cericola as both totaled five groundballs and three caused turnovers. Senior Max Barkley led SU with seven draw controls.
 
In goal, the Raiders split the game with sophomore Bridgette Morrissey playing the opening 30 minutes and making four saves. Freshman Laney Ballard played the second half, allowing four goals and earning the win.
 
SU will try to improve to 2-0 Tuesday when it hosts Shepherd for its home opener at Robb Sports Complex, beginning at 4 p.m.