SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University lacrosse team engaged in a seesaw battle with Roberts Wesleyan on Monday afternoon in its 2018 season opener, but the Raiders could not overcome a late surge by the visitors in dropping a 13-12 decision on a chilly afternoon at Robb Sports Complex.
 
Shippensburg (0-1) started strong, using a 5-0 run over a 4:33 span midway through the first half to take a 7-2 lead. Each of the first six goals on the day by the Raiders were scored by freshmen making their collegiate debut.
 
Roberts Wesleyan (2-1) responded by holding the Raiders scoreless over the next 19 minutes of play, knotting the score at 7-7 with 25:55 remaining. The back-and-forth battle really got going at that point, as SU then scored the next two goals to make it 9-7 with 18:46 to go.
 
RWC immediately countered with three straight goals to take its first lead of the game, 10-9, but the Raiders rallied with two goals of their own to lead 11-10 with 7:47 to play. The Redhawks, however, countered with three goals over the next six minutes to take a two-goal lead into the final minute.
 
Junior Madi Newman scored on a free position with 59 seconds remaining to get SU within one, and the Raiders then won the ensuing draw and appeared to tie the game with 29 seconds left on a goal by senior Allison Fugate, but the tally was erased due to a charge call by the officials. Roberts Wesleyan ran out the clock after the foul.
 
Freshman Alana Cardaci netted a hat trick in her debut to go along with an assist and three groundballs. Fugate and freshman Maddy Siejk each scored twice; Siejk also had an assist.
 
Eight different Raiders found the back of the net in the contest, as Newman was accompanied on the scoresheet by juniors Morgan Stone and Kyra Shank and freshmen Kami Holt and Jena MacDonald. Newman and MacDonald each tallied an assist as well.
 
Defensively, freshman KiKi Brasher was strong in her collegiate debut in goal. Brasher made 13 saves – matching the most saves made by an SU keeper during the 2017 season.
 
Junior Valerie Hertz had three of SU's nine caused turnovers along with three draw controls and a pair of groundballs. Newman won four draws for the Raiders, while Stone collected three. Freshman Madi Jones paced the team with four groundballs.
 
Shippensburg travels to Shepherd on Friday for a 4 p.m. road contest with the Rams.