Box Score

MILLERSVILLE, PA – A late goal by Erin Shirk (Paradise/Pequea Valley) cut the Crimson Hawks deficit to one but IUP failed to convert in the final minutes, as Millersville won the battle of top-10 field hockey teams on Friday evening with a 3-2 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover win.

The Marauders (6-4) struck first, as Sarah Bomberger scored off a redirect from Rachel Dickinson 5:23 into the first half. Millersville then dominated ball control, as the Crimson Hawks were unable to get another shot off until less than five minutes left in the half.

Even with Millersville's 12 first half shots, the Marauders were only able to score just the one goal with IUP goalie Brittany Varacallo (New Britain/Central Bucks South) posting three saves in the first 35 minutes.

The Crimson Hawks came out firing in the second half, getting shots from Danielle Edwards and Anouk Sickman (Antwerp, Belgium/Lazac Cellepe), before a second attempt by Sickman – off a corner from Jillian Duld (Allentown/Parkland) – hit the back of the cage to tie the score at 1-1 at the 41:52 mark.

Millersville didn't waste any time regaining the lead, as Samantha Ruane scored less than three minutes later. The Marauders scored again to take a 3-1 lead, when Dickinson found the back of the cage with less than nine minutes remaining.

Back came IUP just over two minutes later, as Sickman got it to Shirk for the score to make it 3-2 with 6:27 remaining. However the Crimson Hawks only had one more opportunity on goal, as Duld's shot with five minutes remaining was stopped, preserving the win for Millersville.

Sarah Lemieux (Dublin, OH/Dublin Coffman) played the second half in goal for IUP, getting one save. The Crimson Hawks (7-3) are back in action tomorrow as they travel to face top-ranked Bloomsburg on Saturday afternoon.