Gallery: (10-23-2024) 2024 Field Hockey vs. East Stroudsburg
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Junior
Agus Garibaldi scored twice in the final two minutes Wednesday to propel the No. 1-ranked Shippensburg University field hockey team to a wild 3-2 come-from-behind victory over No. 3 East Stroudsburg in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup on a beautiful sunny afternoon at Robb Sports Complex.
Shippensburg (14-0, 7-0 PSAC) trailed 2-0 at halftime and was behind by the same margin when the clock hit zero at the end of the third quarter, but on an untimed penalty corner, senior
Yasmin De Meyer redirected a Garibaldi shot into the goal to get the Raiders within one with 15 minutes to play.
SU still trailed entering the final two minutes. Garibaldi drew a penalty corner at the edge of the scoring circle and shortly thereafter, De Meyer's insert found her stick. The two-time All-American entered the scoring circle, evaded two defenders, and reverse flicked a shot into the cage to tie it at 2-2 with just 1:43 left.
The Raiders kept the pressure going after the equalizer. Senior
Emilia Conners stopped a hard hit from around midfield by ESU's Jady Van Gils that started an SU counterattack.
With 30 seconds left, senior
Taryn Mayer inserted from the sideline and chipped it into the scoring arc. A shot from Garibaldi was saved by Warrior goalkeeper Jet Vermeulen, but a foul was committed against senior
Ashley Button on the rebound to create SU's 19th penalty corner of the match with 14 seconds left.
De Meyer distributed the penalty corner insert to Conners, who then sent the ball to her left to Garibaldi – who fired a rocket into the lower left portion of the cage for her 16th goal of the season and her fifth game-winner. Only 7.5 seconds remained on the clock. Warrior defender Kendall Eggleston's out-stretched stick was mere inches away from blocking Garibaldi's shot.
East Stroudsburg (13-3, 5-2) dictated the pace of play for the majority of the first 40 minutes. Shots on goal were even (3-3) at halftime, but the Warriors capitalized on two of theirs.
The opening goal came with 7:45 left in the first half, as Kayla Minkon collected the ball and fired it into the scoring circle. It nicked an SU defender and went right to Allyson Forman, who slammed home her eighth goal of the season.
With just more than two minutes remaining in the first half, ESU scored off a penalty corner. Jessica Seidel's insert went to Alex Eagles, who distributed the ball to the right for Kerry Kaufman. Her shot bounced through traffic and into the net for her sixth goal of the season.
Shippensburg and East Stroudsburg combined for 17 shots on goal in the second half – 11 by the Raiders. Penalty corners ended up 19-8 in Shippensburg's favor, including a 12-2 margin in the second half.
Redshirt-junior
Emma Albee made six saves for SU, including a couple at point-blank range in the second half. Button made a key defensive save in the second half that prevented the Warriors from taking a 3-0 lead.
ESU once again evenly split time with its goalkeepers as it has all season – Sydney Pope made three saves for a first-half clean sheet, while Vermeulen made a season-high eight saves in the second half.
Wednesday's victory clinched the No. 1 seed for Shippensburg in this year's PSAC Tournament, affording the Raiders the hosting rights to the semifinals and the championship game at Robb Sports Complex. SU remains undefeated in conference play with two league matches remaining, and the Raiders hold head-to-head victories over the only two teams with two or fewer league losses (ESU and Mansfield).
Wednesday's game was just the second this season in which SU yielded two goals and marked the first time all season that the Raiders faced a two-goal deficit.
Garibaldi has now scored a goal in all seven games this month. During her seven-game streak, Garibaldi has totaled nine goals and four assists (22 points).
Shippensburg will honor 10 players in advance of its 1 p.m. Saturday home match against IUP, as the Raiders will celebrate Senior Day at Robb Sports Complex.
