SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - The Bloomsburg women's soccer team fell in its PSAC Quarterfinal contest to top-seeded Shepherd, 2-1, Tuesday afternoon.

Falling behind 1-0 in the first half, Erin Ranegan (Wilmington, Del./Conrad School of Science) netted her first goal of the season and the Huskies' first in three matches against the Rams. Shepherd found the go-ahead tally with just over 10 minutes remaining in the match to secure the win and move on to the PSAC Semifinals.

Bloomsburg drops to 9-5-4 overall, and the Rams improve to 14-1-4 on the season.

How It Happened:
The game between the two sides opened evenly, with both teams getting a run of possession in the attacking third. Shepherd generated more attempts on net, opening up for five attempts at goal through the first 25 minutes of action. The Huskies leaned into holding possession in the final third, looking for lanes to get through on net.

Just inside the half-hour mark, the Rams broke through thanks to the foot of leading-scorer Lydia Gable. Shepherd's Reagan Ackerman drove toward the goal line and played a ball across the middle of the box. Narrowly kept onside, Gable kept her composure and slotted in the opening goal of the contest to put the hosts up 1-0.

Looking to remain in the contest, goalkeeper Samantha Merklin (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley) remained vigilant in her efforts to keep her team engaged. Despite the first-half goal, Merklin finished the opening 45 minutes with three saves and five total on the day as Bloomsburg looked for answers to get on the scoreboard.

The pressing tenacity of the Huskies front gave the team its first chance at net and the equalizer. Working from the corner, Anna Dalesandro (Robesonia, Pa./Conrad Weiser) stood over the ball and delivered a looping cross to the front post. Ranegan muscled her way into position to elevate above the field, head home her fourth career goal, and knot the game at 1-1. 

With the game tied up, both sides leaned into their game plans in the hopes of getting ahead. Bloomsburg had its best chance at grabbing a lead in the 57th with a through ball to Avery Doughty aimed at the heart of the Rams' defense. The forward's shot was parried away with a tremendous effort from Shepherd goalkeeper Hannah Wilt to keep the game even. 

The tempo of the match slowed as both sides sank into the depth of their defenses to keep the opposing offenses at bay. The pressure eventually led to the Rams finding the eventual game-winner with a pass from Josie Beezel making way for Sarah Peternel, the second winning goal of the season for the Rams' midfielder. 

The Huskies did not abandon hope and maintained an aggressive approach to winning the ball and driving into the attacking half of the field. Finding several ways to win the ball back, Bloomsburg could not create a clear-cut chance in the open field, with Shepherd dropping its lines deep into its back third.

The contest came down to one final kick following a yellow card issued to Wilt for a stalling warning. The referee removed the ball from Wilts' hands, and with seconds remaining, the Huskies were awarded an indirect free kick. Off the spot, the pass by Aubrey Hondros (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock South) was played out, with the ensuing shot drifting right of the goal as the final whistle blew. 

Numbers of Note: 
3-1 - Bloomsburg's attacking efforts in the afternoon were rewarded with several opportunities from set pieces. The Huskies' goal came from a corner, and the team finished with a 3-1 advantage in the category. 

2 & 6 - Bloomsburg's chances for the upset came down to the ability to put pressure on the Shepherd defense. Despite only generating two shots on target and six overall, the Huskies nearly found the back of the net twice in the contest.

On the Horizon: 
The Bloomsburg women's soccer team awaits the final decision from the NCAA Atlantic Region Selection Committee as part of the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, November 18.