SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The No. 1 ranked Shippensburg University field hockey team won an intense battle against No. 10 Limestone in an NCAA Division II Quarterfinal matchup Saturday at Robb Sports Complex, 3-2.
 
Shippensburg (19-1) fended off a strong effort from the South Atlantic Conference Champions to advance to the NCAA Semifinals for the fourth straight year, netting a pair of first half goals from junior Agus Garibaldi and the game-winner off the stick of senior Nya Gilchrist.
 
Limestone (14-6), the No. 8 seed and the hosts of this year's final four, looked to play the role of spoiler, successfully jumping in front early on and scoring again late to make for a nervy finish.
 
The Saints struck first just four minutes after the opening whistle, as attacker Victoria Gonzalez Lopez delivered a well-placed shot into the bottom right corner of the Raider cage.
 
It took just 1:25 for Shippensburg to provide the answer, as a point shot from senior Yasmin De Meyer was deflected by Garibaldi on its way toward goal, leaving the goalkeeper helpless as it found the net for the equalizer.
 
The Raiders took their first lead just before halftime. SU, which held a 5-to-1 penalty corner advantage in the second quarter, made the final one count.
 
Garibaldi's point attempt was redirected by senior Ashley Button onto the path of junior De Meyer on the doorstep, whose shot was caromed off a Limestone defender's foot behind the keeper, resulting in an SU penalty stroke.
 
Garibaldi took the stroke, lifting her shot over the right shoulder of the Limestone goalie for her second goal of the game and 18th of the season to make it 2-1.
 
Another well-worked corner put the hosts further in front less than a minute into the second half. This time, junior Savannah Silvestre's entry hopped over Button's stick and onto the path of the original inserter, sophomore Hannah White at the far post. White shrewdly sent the ball back across the face of goal to a wide-open Gilchrist for an easy tap in.
 
The Saints got a goal back courtesy of a penalty corner tally from Felicitas Herrero Martel midway through the third quarter.
 
The visitors came just centimeters away from leveling the score just a few moments later, as a dangerous Herrero Martel centering pass was redirected by a Ship defender off the crossbar of the SU cage.
 
Shippensburg held on for the victory, improving their season record against nationally ranked opponents to 11-0, and its record in NCAA Quarterfinals to 3-0 under head coach Tara Zollinger (6-4 all time). They are now 18-12 all time in the NCAA Tournament.
 
SU finished with a 13-to-10 advantage in shots and a nine-to-five advantage in penalty corners for the game.
 
Limestone goalie Tereza Koprivova totaled six saves. Redshirt-junior Emma Albee finished with a pair of stops in the Raider net.
 
Elsewhere, No. 4 seed Kutztown defeated No. 5 seed Southern New Hampshire in another quarterfinal, setting up a rematch between the Raiders and the Golden Bears in the semifinals.
 
Last year, the Golden Bears defeated the Raiders, 2-1, on a late goal and went on to win their first-ever national championship.
 
Shippensburg will travel to Limestone's campus in Gaffney, South Carolina for the NCAA Division II Final Four, and its match with Kutztown is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday.