Gallery: (11-9-2024) 2024 Field Hockey vs. Bloom (PSAC Semis)
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The No. 1 Shippensburg University field hockey team got a game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation Friday from senior
Valu Paul and then a golden goal from senior
Alexa Michielsen to cap off a thrilling comeback victory over No. 4 Bloomsburg, 2-1, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Semifinal at sunny Robb Sports Complex.
Shippensburg (17-1) improved to 9-0 this season against nationally-ranked opponents, including its third such victory in which it needed a dramatic late comeback to win. The Raiders finished with a 15-3 advantage in shots on goal and a 13-2 advantage in penalty corners but needed all 60 minutes of regulation and six minutes of overtime to escape with a victory.
Bloomsburg (15-5) played an excellent match and received a standout performance from its defense – notably senior Jackie Nevel. The veteran goalkeeper made 13 saves – six in each half and one in overtime – and helped the Huskies weather a second-half storm that included nine Raider penalty corners and 16 Raider shots (seven on goal).
After a scoreless first half, the visitors converted on one of their two penalty corners of the day, as senior Aydan McFarland slammed home her league-leading 21st goal of the season off an insert from Kate Ferguson – giving Bloomsburg a 1-0 lead midway through the third quarter.
Throughout the game, the Huskies had employed a strategy of long hits that went the length of the field and over the SU goal line – a tactic which forced the Raiders to have to navigate the full circuit and through the BU midfield to reach the offensive third.
For the majority of the final 20 minutes, SU dominated possession and was frequently in the Husky half of the field, only to be turned away by the strong efforts of Nevel, defender Meg Barnard, and others along the BU back line.
With 1:33 to play, SU pulled redshirt-junior goalkeeper
Emma Albee in favor of an extra field player. Soon after, the Raiders earned a penalty corner with just more than 60 seconds left.
On the ensuing corner, senior
Yasmin De Meyer sent a shot toward the goal that was deflected backward off a stick. Paul, the extra field player who replaced Albee, was positioned in the middle of the circle and fired a one-timer into the lower left corner of the net to even the score. It was Paul's sixth goal of the season.
SU continued the momentum after leveling the score and earned yet another corner with 30 seconds left, but the chance did not result in a shot on goal and the match went into overtime.
The Raiders controlled possession for the overwhelming majority of overtime and scored the game-winner on the only penalty corner of the extra frame.
Due to the personnel on the field in the 7-on-7 extra session, sophomore
Carme Caracotche Picone was tasked with a rare insert on the penalty corner. She delivered a perfect distribution to Michielsen, who blasted a shot from the top of the circle past Nevel for her eighth goal of the year and her second game-winner.
Shippensburg will host No. 2 East Stroudsburg at noon Sunday in the 2024 PSAC Championship Game. It is a re-match of last year's championship final won by the Warriors on their home turf, 2-1 in overtime.
Notes: Shippensburg extended its winning streak to 11 consecutive matches over Bloomsburg, the longest stretch of Raider success in the storied history between the two teams…Bloomsburg leads the overall series 44-30-1 dating back to 1976…Friday marked the first meeting between the two teams in the PSAC Tournament since 2018, when SU posted a 2-1 overtime win in a home quarterfinal…in terms of 2024 comebacks, Shippensburg trailed No. 2 Kutztown 2-1 before tying it with 9:56 left and scoring the game-winning goal with 39 seconds left…two games later, SU trailed No. 3 ESU 2-1 with less than two minutes to play before tying it with 1:43 left and scoring the game-winning goal with seven seconds left…SU is now 21-30 all-time in the PSAC Tournament, including 15-16 in the PSAC Semifinals…the Raiders will be seeking their third-ever PSAC Championship (2005, 2021).
