Shippensburg University Athletics

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The No. 4 Shippensburg University field hockey team posted its second Top 10 victory in as many outings with a dominant 3-1 effort against No. 6 Bloomsburg in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action Saturday at Robb Sports Complex.
 
Shippensburg's (7-2, 2-1 PSAC) bullied Bloomsburg (9-2, 2-1) according to the box score, outshooting its opponent 20-to-8 and holding the Huskies to just two shots on goal.
 
The Raiders' attacking pressure led to a pair of penalty stroke tallies to take an initial 2-0 advantage. Both strokes were achieved by the efforts of Anne Gardner (Hershey, Pa./Hershey).
 
Gardner first won a stroke when her reverse hit was stopped by the leg of a Bloomsburg defender behind the goalkeeper with five minutes left in the first half.
 
Elaina Fragassi stepped up to take the stroke. Her shot was initially saved by the blocker of Bloom keeper Molly Bross before caroming over the goal line for a 1-0 advantage.
 
Late in the third quarter, Gardner was tripped up by an opponent's stick in a one-on-one chance with the keeper. Juana Caracotche Picone converted the stroke with a too-hot-to-handle laser past the left blocker to make it 2-0.
 
The stifling Raider defense held Bloomsburg to just three total shots through the first three quarters, but the Huskies were able to breakthrough offensively via a penalty corner early in the final frame. Jenna Bond and Alyxandra Flick wreaked havoc in the goalmouth following Genna Bush's initial shot attempt, with Flick hammering a close-range attempt past SU goalie Liv Schweighart to make it a one-goal game, 2-1.
 
Adriana Hopple provided some late insurance, getting on the end of a Fragassi cross as she tumbled towards the turf in a crowded goal crease for her first collegiate goal with less than five minutes remaining.
 
Ship held a slight 7-to-5 edge in penalty corners in the Top 10 matchup, while Boss totaled five saves in the Bloomsburg cage.
 
The Raiders return to Robb Sports Complex when they host nationally-ranked IUP Wednesday at 4 p.m.