SPARKILL, N.Y. – In an instant classic, the Bloomsburg University field hockey team outlasted St. Thomas Aquinas in a 2-1 shootout Sunday afternoon. The Huskies improved to 3-3 for the year while the Spartans dropped to 2-2.
 
Playing in their second-straight overtime game and third of the season, the Huskies looked to come out on top in the extra time. Junior Sam Schaffer (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) had the ball in front of the cage with 12 seconds to play in the first overtime, but the STAC goalie, Jesse Hohenstein, made the stop to force a second extra period.
 
STAC got four shots off in a three-minute window to try and win it, but senior goalie Abby Shaffer (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) stopped all three attempts and carried that momentum into the shootout.

The Spartans won the coin toss and went first in the shootout. After a foul was called on the first attempt, Sam Van Der Valk got to retry her attempt and just snuck the ball past Shaffer.
 
Senior Carlee Williams (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) used her in-air dribbling skills to carry the ball to the cage, dropped it right in front of the goalie, and snuck it under a diving Hohenstein to even score 1-1.
 
Shaffer made a save on the Spartans' next attempt before Meg Barnard (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) followed Williams' lead and carried the ball to the cage. Once in front of the goalie, Barnard dropped the ball and shot it through the legs of the keeper to give Bloomsburg a 2-1 lead in the shootout.
 
Nicole Van Vuuren's initial shot on the next shootout attempt for STAC was stopped by Shaffer, and her rebound attempt was kicked away as the Huskies looked to take a 3-1 lead in the shootout. Bri Doebler (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) took the more traditional route to the goal on her attempt, and it paid off as she dribbled on the field down toward the goal, got the goalie to dive, and had a wide-open cage to put the Huskies up 3-1.
 
Shaffer stuffed Kelly Johnson's attempt to seal the shootout win for the Huskies.

 

FH: Check out the shootout highlights from the BU field hockey's 2-1 win over St. Thomas Aquinas on Sunday! Full story and recap to come on https://t.co/IcBv4gLtNH #Unleashed pic.twitter.com/QzH9sDJqI8

— BU Huskies (@GoBUHuskies) September 18, 2022

The Huskies and Spartans battled through three scoreless periods in regulation until Barnard got the Huskies on the board in the fourth. After a penalty corner for the Huskies forced some traffic in front of the cage, Bloomsburg was awarded a penalty stroke. Barnard took the stroke for the Huskies and buried it under the goalie to give BU a 1-0 lead with 11:16 to play in regulation.
 
Shaffer made a stop on the Spartans' first shot of the quarter, but Sofia Cuen found an opening with 1:57 to play and tied the game at 1-1.
 
 The Spartans out-shot Bloomsburg 12-10 for the game, including a 6-2 advantage in the overtime periods. Shaffer had the advantage in cage as she made six saves, including four in the second OT period.
 
The Huskies held a 12-6 advantage in penalty corners for the game.

The Huskies return home on Saturday, September 24, when they welcome Frostburg State for a non-conference matchup at Steph Pettit Stadium. Game time is slated for 11:00 am, and the Huskies will host their annual Kids' Day during the game.