MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Huskies and Marauders took the field in a downpour that turned into sleet and snow. No. 3 Millersville weathered the storm to defeat No. 6 Bloomsburg in the opening round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) field hockey tournament on Tuesday.
 
The Huskies had the first scoring chance of the game as Bloomsburg earned a penalty corner just 1:49 into action. Sophomore Kara Koch (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) inserted the ball, and senior Carlee Williams (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) got a shot off, but her attempt was blocked to keep the Huskies off the board. Kate Strickland got the Marauders (15-4) on the board 3:14 into the first quarter after Millersville's first penalty corner of the game.

The Huskies got a penalty corner as time expired in the quarter, and after senior Bri Doebler (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) got the ball into the circle, junior Sam Schaffer (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) pushed the ball through the defense and ripped a shot that went wide. Millersville hung on to their 1-0 lead after 15 minutes.
 
Millersville pushed its lead to 2-0 with a goal late in the second quarter as Kortlin Yetter gave the Marauders a 2-0 lead at 25:15. The Huskies ended the half just as they ended the first quarter – with a last-second penalty corner. Koch put a shot on goal during the corner, but Kerstin Koons stopped the shot, and the Marauders carried their 2-0 lead into the break.
 
The Marauders extended their lead to 3-0 at 1:40 in the third after another penalty corner. With just under seven to play in the quarter, Bloomsburg earned another penalty corner, but Williams' shot was again blocked, and the Marauders stymied the Huskies' offensive chance.
 
Even after another Millersville goal in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, the Huskies never stopped battling as senior Meghan Longenhagen (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia) got a pass in the circle from sophomore Bella Culp (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) and slid it under a diving Koons to break up the shutout and cut the lead to 4-1 with 2:12 to play. Williams and junior Emily Swineford (Mt. Pleasant Mills, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) each got a final shot off in the last minute, but Koons got her stick on both shots, and Millersville walked away victorious, 4-1.
 
Millersville held a slight 10-8 advantage in shots and a 7-4 edge in shots on goal, while the Marauders had a 9-7 advantage in penalty corners.
 
Sophomore Jackie Nevel (Nescopeck, Pa./Berwick Area) made her first career start and picked up three saves in 56:45 in the cage. Senior Abby Shaffer (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) closed out the final 3:15 in cage for the Huskies and didn't face a shot.
 
The Huskies finish the season 9-9 after earning the No. 6 seed in the PSAC Tournament with a 4-5 conference record. The Marauders will face No. 2 Shippensburg in the semifinals on Friday.