Box Score
BLOOMSBURG-A pair of goals from both Katie Walczuk (Long Valley, NJ, West Morris Central) and Tara Huber (Orefield, Parkland) led Bloomsburg University (10-2-3, 7-2-1 PSAC) to a 4-0 shutout of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponent Mansfield University (1-10-2, 0-8-2 PSAC) on Tuesday night at Sports Stadium.
The evening began emotionally for the Huskies, as the team bid farewell to three graduating seniors who are finishing their final season. Prior to the game, Ali McCrossin (Philadelphia, Little Flower), Kristine Preski (Philadelphia, Owen J. Roberts), and Kelsey Stoka (Langhorne, Neshaminy) were honored for their accomplishments and contributions to the Bloomsburg women's soccer program.
Bloomsburg controlled the pace of the game from start to finish. In the seventh minute, junior Natalie Adams (Wilkes-Barre, Holy Redeemer) served a free kick to her classmate Walczuk, whose header sailed into the top right corner, giving the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
Midway through the half, a defensive error by the Mountaineer defense allowed Bloomsburg's Huber to gain control in the Mansfield penalty box and slam a shot past senior keeper Samantha DeLiere to extend the lead to 2-0.
Sophomore Alexis Wilhelm took over goalie duties for Mansfield in the second half, but found trouble when Huber again recovered the ball from the Mountaineer defense, and the freshman evaded Wilhelm for her eighth goal of the season.
Leading 3-0, Adams found Walczuk again, this time off a corner kick in the 62nd minute. Walczuk's second goal of the game marked her 11th of the year and the 7th assist for Adams.
Bloomsburg held Mansfield to just three shots in the game, as the Huskies rolled away with the 4-0 win. Frances Nicoletti (Haddonfield, NJ, Haddonfield) played all 90 minutes between the pipes for Bloomsburg and stopped both shots on net to record her eighth shutout of the season. With two games to play in the regular season, Nicoletti is tied for fourth-most shutouts in a season and has fourth-most in her career (14) for a Husky keeper.
Bloomsburg hits the road Saturday, October 23, for its next game against PSAC foe Kutztown.
