SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The No. 2 Shippensburg University field hockey team used a strong first-half performance to power past No. 7 Mansfield in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) clash on Alumni Day Saturday at Robb Sports Complex, 3-2.
 
The Raiders (10-2, 4-0 PSAC) raced out to a 2-0 halftime lead on tallies from freshman Mckenna Boyle and sophomore Agus Garibaldi.
 
The Mountaineers (7-4, 1-2) closed the gap with third-quarter goals from Kalin Duke and Alexis Bell sandwiched in between Garibaldi's second, but the Raiders were able to buckle down defensively in the fourth quarter to hold on for a tight victory.
 
A Shippensburg attack just five minutes into the contest resulted in a penalty stroke being awarded to the hosts. Boyle stepped up to take the stroke and converted to record her first-ever collegiate goal to make it 1-0.
 
A critical defensive save by sophomore Savannah Silvestre snuffed out a dangerous Mansfield attack midway through the second frame. Less than a minute later, a beautiful centering pass delivered from De Meyer onto the stick of Garibaldi on the doorstep of the goal allowed the Raiders to double their lead.
 
Mansfield scored from a penalty corner just 1:34 into the second half, only for Shippensburg to answer two minutes later, as Garibald lifted a reverse shot past the Mansfield keeper and into the upper third.
 
Junior Tess Jedeloo was credited with an assist on the Raiders' third goal.
 
Bell made it a one-goal margin again with another goal from a penalty corner late in the third, but the Raider defense held down the fort for the final 15 minutes to record the victory.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Emma Albee made six saves in the cage for the Raiders.
 
Mansfield goalie August Lewis turned aside 11 shots on goal in a losing effort.
 
Shippensburg celebrated the 10th anniversary of the 2013 NCAA Division II National Championship team as part of Alumni Day Saturday.
 
The 2013 team was recognized prior to the start of the game and longtime head coach Bertie Landes spoke to the 2023 team about the program's first-ever NCAA title after the final whistle.
 
Next up, the Raiders will battle nationally-ranked Kutztown on the road Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.