SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University lacrosse team used an 8-1 scoring run in the first half on Tuesday to pull away and record its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) victory of the season, as the Raiders posted a 17-12 triumph over Kutztown on a cold, damp afternoon at Robb Sports Complex.
 
Shippensburg (4-4, 1-3 PSAC) overcame a three-goal deficit in the game's first four minutes by scoring 10 times in the first half. Five Raiders finished the game with multiple goals, while 10 different SU players in total found the back of the net on the day.
 
Senior captain Jordan Kengor tallied career highs with four goals and six points, leading the Raiders offensively for the second straight game. It is the first hat trick of Kengor's career.
 
Freshman Jena MacDonald had a five-point game, scoring twice and adding three assists. It is the second straight game and the fourth time this season that MacDonald has recorded at least three assists.
 
Freshman Alana Cardaci had two goals and an assist, while juniors Rene Morrow and Madi Newman each scored twice. Newman also added five draw controls.
 
Senior Allison Fugate had a goal and two assists, while seniors Kathleen Mirgon and T.J. Johnson, junior Morgan Stone and freshman Jessica DeMarte added tallies. Junior Kyra Shank added an assist.
 
Once again, junior captain Valerie Hertz was tremendous for the Raiders both along the back lines and in support on draws. Hertz finished with a game-high seven draw controls and seven groundballs to complement a pair of caused turnovers. Fellow captain, senior Makenzie Magnotta, led the Raiders with three caused turnovers.
 
Freshman KiKi Brasher remained stout in goal – totaling 14 saves and stopping more than half of the shots she faced on the day. Brasher has totaled a save percentage of .500 or better in each of her first eight games this season, and totaled double-digit saves in five contests.
 
Kutztown (3-4, 0-2) got two goals and an assist from Sarah Gabriele, who surpassed the 200-point mark for her career. Lauren Schmidt also had a three-point day for the visitors, while goalkeeper Haley Kline was strong in net with 13 saves and a .433 save percentage.
 
Overall, the game's flow was nonexistent in the first half but progressed slightly better after the intermission. The two teams combined for more than 30 free positions and nearly 80 fouls in a contest that lasted 2:26.
 
Shippensburg travels to New Jersey on Thursday to make up a game with Georgian Court. The match will begin at 3 p.m.