SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. (Sept. 1) – In a top-10 matchup to start the year, the 2022 National Runner-up No. 2 Shippensburg defeated the No. 9 Trojans by a 4-1 margin in non-conference action on Friday afternoon.

With the loss, the University of Mount Olive field hockey team falls to 0-1 to open the season. Shippensburg has recorded a 4-1 win in both meetings as the sides met for a consecutive year. Meanwhile, the Raiders start their season 1-0 after posting a 16-4 record in 2022.

In the first quarter of the match, the Trojans came out hard as they scored the first goal of the nationally-ranked contest. With a cross into the circle, senior Avery Congleton found sophomore Nikki Bos to score at the 3:10 mark, 1-0. Soon after, Shippensburg responded to level the match 1-1. The remainder of the quarter went scoreless. Going into the second quarter, the Raiders found the back of the cage at the 19:47 mark, 2-1. As both teams competed, the match went back and forth, and Mount Olive trailed by one going at the break.

In the third quarter, UMO was able to hold the game to 2-1 until the 38th minute of the match. After being awarded a penalty corner, Shippensburg scored its third goal of the match, 3-1. In the last two minutes of the quarter, the Raiders earned another penalty corner. After the initial save, SU scored on a rebound for its final goal, 4-1. In the fourth quarter, the Trojans outplayed the Raiders as they held an 8-0 shot advantage over Shippensburg. The Mount Olive offense kept knocking at the Raider door as they earned three penalty corners and registered shots on all attempts. 

Senior goalkeeper Alanna Barrett collected seven saves after facing 11 shots on goal in 60 minutes of play. 

Shippensburg only held a 14-12 shot advantage over the Trojans and a 5-3 edge in penalty corners.

Mount Olive returns to play tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 2, as they face IUP in Shippensburg, Pa. at 1 p.m.