SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The No. 1 Shippensburg University field hockey team defeated No. 4 Bloomsburg in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opener Saturday, 3-0, at Robb Sports Complex.
 
Shippensburg (7-0, 1-0 PSAC East) picked up its fifth shutout in seven outings against a Bloomsburg (8-2, 0-1) squad that was held without a goal for the first time this season. The victory was also the Raiders' third against a Top-Five opponent.
 
After an even opening 15 minutes, the Raiders scored in each of the final three frames, netting goals from senior Nya Gilchrist, senior Alexa Michielsen and senior Yasmin De Meyer.
 
Ship scored the breakthrough 25 seconds into the second quarter. Strong stick-handling work from junior Agus Garibaldi and a pass ahead to freshman Anne Gardner created a two-on-one break for the Raiders.
 
Gardner sent a ball to the far post, where a diving Gilchrist was able to beat her mark and redirect the cross across the goal line.
 
The Huskies almost equalized moments later, as a long hit split the SU backline and sent forward Kara Koch in on a breakaway, but Shippensburg redshirt-junior goalkeeper Emma Albee was there to deny her with a clutch kick save.
 
The Raiders eventually added to their margin thanks to flurry of penalty corners late in the third. A third-consecutive SU corner resulted in a screamer from Michielsen flying into the top right corner off an insert from freshman Emily Bitters.
 
De Meyer iced the win not long into the fourth. Hard work from De Meyer and freshman Elaina Fragassi in the offensive circle created space for De Meyer to lift her shot past the Bloomsburg goalie.
 
The SU defense again stood tall Saturday. The Raiders held NCAA Division II's leading goal-scorer – 15-goal scorer Aydan McFarland – to just a single shot on goal, and Albee finished with four saves in the Raider net.
 
Bloomsburg netminder Jackie Nevel recorded 11 stops.
 
Up next, the Raiders travel to Millersville Wednesday at 6 p.m.