WEST CHESTER, PA – The Golden Rams gave No. 1 Shippensburg all it could handle, but in the end dropped a very hard-fought, 3-1, verdict to the Raiders at sunny, but windy, Vonnie Gros Field Wednesday afternoon.
When senior forward
Jasmine Miller (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor) put the home team on top in the second quarter with a beautiful goal in the 18th minute, it looked as though West Chester (7-4, 1-2 PSAC) might be in for the upset bid. However, Shippensburg (10-0, 3-0) tied things up in the 20th minute, and the two sides went into the locker room knotted at 1-apiece.
That's the way things stood through 45 minutes of play as the game progressed into the fourth quarter. Shippensburg struck on a penalty corner opportunity in the 50th minute for the go-ahead goal, and then added an insurance tally two minutes later to close out the scoring.
West Chester goalkeeper
Ryan Curley (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) was marvelous in the cage, making eight saves. Her counterpart, Emma Albee, turned away seven shots, including five in the final 15 minutes as the Golden Rams pressed for the equalizer after falling behind. The final five minutes was perhaps the most pressure Shippensburg's defense has felt all year, entering the game having allowed just two goals the entire season.
Corners were tied at 5-5, and Shippensburg held a slim 12-10 advantage in shots. It was a tightly contested match throughout.
Shippensburg's Yasmin De Mayer scored the first two goals for the Raiders. Agus Garibaldi had the insurance tally in the fourth.
West Chester travels to Millersville next Thursday evening for a 6 p.m. contest with the Marauders.
