Lady Raiders Fall in Overtime at Bloomsburg, Faces Must Win Saturday
Apr. 26, 2007
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - Allison McFatridge scored three goals, including the game-winner just 55 seconds into overtime to lead the Bloomsburg women's lacrosse team to an 8-7 victory over Shippensburg Thursday afternoon.
The win clinches the third-seed for the Huskies (8-7, 8-5 PSAC) in next week's PSAC Women's Lacrosse Championship after they finished 6-6 in conference play a year ago, just missing the fourth and final playoff berth that was taken by Shippensburg.
For the Lady Raiders (7-8, 6-7 PSAC), the loss sets up a showdown with Millersville at home on Saturday for the fourth and final berth into the conference championship after the Marauders lost at Indiana (Pa.) this afternoon, 24-19.
Shippensburg, Millersville and IUP are all currently tied for fourth-place in the PSAC standings with identical 6-7 conference records. While Shippensburg and Millersville play on Saturday, IUP must travel to second-seed and fourth-ranked Lock Haven.
As for Thursday's game, the Lady Raiders trailed 6-3 at halftime before scoring the first three goals of the second half to tie the game at 6-6. In scoring three unanswered goals, the Shippensburg defense, led by freshman Lauren Marron (Macungie/Emmaus) in goal, held the Huskies scoreless for a span of 29:27.
Marron finished the game with 13 saves, her second-highest total this season, while Bridget Maenner had 11 for Bloomsburg.
Junior Kristin Crutchfield (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty), who missed the last three games after suffering an ankle injury prior to Shippensburg's game at homer versus West Chester on April 18, scored the first four goals of the game for the Lady Raiders.
Following a goal by sophomore Hannah Sperber (Millersville, Md./Severna Park) at 36:35, Crutchfield assisted freshman Leigh Mellon (Paoli/Great Valley) at 52:00 to tie the game at 6-6. For Mellon, it was her fifth goal in the last two games after scoring just five in the first 13 games of the season.
Just under four minutes after Mellon tied the game, Bloomsburg's leading goal scorer, Kelsey Quigley, scored her 25th of the season to give the Huskies the lead, 7-6.
However, Sperber would net her second goal of the game with just 1:58 remaining to send the game into overtime before McFatridge scored the game-winner at 60:55 after Bloomsburg won the draw.
Kristin Crutchfield led all scorers with four goals and one assist for the Lady Raiders while Sperber and junior Katie Irwin (Aston/Cardinal O'Hara) each had two points.
Heading into Saturday's showdown at home with Millersville, Shippensburg will be thinking just one thing, "Win, and we're in." Game time from Robb Sports Complex is at 1:00 p.m.
- Lady Raider Lacrosse -
