SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The No. 2-ranked Shippensburg University field hockey team (No. 3 seed) earned a berth in the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Final Four for the fifth straight season with a NCAA Quarterfinal victory No. 8-ranked Saint Anselm (No. 6 seed) Saturday at Robb Sports Complex, 3-0.
 
Shippensburg (18-3) had standout moments on both ends against Saint Anselm (16-6), the defending national champions and winners of the Northeast-10 Conference, getting goals from Agus Garibaldi, Kayla Snyder and Carme Caracotche Picone as well as a penalty stroke save from goalkeeper Emma Albee.
 
The Raiders began to assert themselves during a dominant second quarter, outshooting the Hawks 8-0 in the frame.
 
Garibaldi, a veteran of numerous big games and big moments, put the responsibility on her shoulder to provide a spark with a terrific solo goal ten minutes into the frame.
 
The SU senior out-witted three Saint Anselm defenders on a drive into the circle, and after her initial attempt was stopped, Garibaldi beat all three to the ensuing rebound and lifted the ball over the Saint Anselm goalkeeper from close range for the opening score.
 
The SU attack kept up the pressure until the halftime whistle, earning themselves a penalty stroke inside the final minute. A shot attempt from Anne Gardner (Hershey, Pa./Hershey Area) forced a tough save from Saint Anselm goalie Mackenzie Wehrum. The rebound fell to Kelly Naudé (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa/Epworth School (Coker)), who delivered a quick shot that caromed off the leg of a defender behind Wehrum, resulting in the stroke.
 
Snyder stepped up and picked out the lower-left corner of the cage to double the Raider lead.
 
The Hawks were able to show their fangs after the intermission, with their biggest opportunity coming on a penalty stroke with five minutes remaining in the contest.
 
Albee, another seasoned vet, dove to her left to make a blocker save of a waist-high attempt from Millie Forster to deny the Hawks a vital goal.
 
Caracotche Picone registered the knockout punch with 2:30 left on the clock, receiving a penalty corner insert from Elaina Fragassi (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and firing a seeing-eye shot that traveled in between the legs of two Saint Anselm defenders before skipping off the pad of Wehrum and into the back of the cage.
 
The Raiders had an 11-to-2 advantage in shots on goal for the game and an 8-to-3 overall edge in penalty corners.
 
On the other end, Albee secured her 12th shutout of the season and program-record 26th of her collegiate career.
 
Wehrum totaled eight stops for Saint Anselm.
 
Shippensburg improved to 3-1 all-time vs. Saint Anselm and 2-0 this season. Shippensburg posted a 4-0 victory over the Hawks in a September game played at Widener University.
 
The Raiders are 7-4 all-time in the NCAA Quarterfinals (4-2 at home, 3-2 on the road). SU has won each of its last five NCAA Quarterfinal games; its last loss in the NCAA Quarterfinals occurred in 2014 in double-overtime at Millersville.
 
Shippensburg will take on No 2 seed Kutztown in a semifinal set for Friday, Nov. 21 at Steph Pettit Stadium in Bloomsburg. The Golden Bears defeated No. 7 seed Assumption, 2-0, in a quarterfinal Saturday.

 SHIP in the NCAA Tournament:
* Shippensburg is in the NCAA Tournament for the 18th time in school history (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025).
* Shippensburg is 18-13 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and has won five NCAA Division II national titles (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021).
* Shippensburg has won six total national championships – the team's first national championship in school history came in 1979, when the Raiders claimed the AIAW Division III national championship to complete a 16-2-3 season that included a school-record 14 shutouts.
 

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