SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The No. 2-ranked Shippensburg University field hockey team defeated No. 8 Bloomsburg Saturday afternoon, 3-2, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup on a cool and windy day at Robb Sports Complex.
 
Shippensburg (8-1, 3-0 PSAC) used a three-point effort from senior Mary Spisak and two penalty-stroke saves from redshirt-junior goalkeeper Ally Mooney, to record the conference victory over Bloomsburg (5-4, 1-1).
 
It was the second time the two teams played to a 3-2 decision this season, with the Raiders claiming an overtime victory in Bloomsburg in a non-conference matchup just three weeks ago.
 
After holding off an early surge from Bloomsburg, senior Emily Barnard found the back of the net for her team-leading 12th goal of the year off an assist from Spisak. Mooney was able to keep the Huskies off the board in the first half to allow SU to enjoy a one-goal advantage heading into the break.
 
Shippensburg wasted no time early in the second half in extending its lead, when Spisak scored her first of two goals on the afternoon within the first three minutes after the break. Bloomsburg responded with some pressure less than two minutes later, but the Huskies were unable to beat Mooney or senior Kylie Huffman, who recorded her team-high fourth defensive save in the 40th minute.
 
After Bloomsburg got a goal from Geneka Mahan in the 47th minute to pull within one, SU got it right back with a sensational back-hand goal from Spisak, her second of the day.
 
BU would not go quietly however, pressuring the Raiders over the final 10 minutes and working to earn two penalty stroke opportunities. Mooney stood tall however, denying both Sally DeLuca and Tali Wehner to keep the two-goal cushion for SU. Bloom added a goal with 90 seconds remaining that produced the 3-2 result.
 
Mooney made seven saves on the afternoon to earn her eighth win of the year.
 
Shippensburg returns to action at 4 p.m. Tuesday at West Chester.