Field Hockey | 11/7/2024 3:58:00 PM

BLOOMSBURG, Pa – The No. 4 Bloomsburg field hockey team is prepared face off against No. 1 Shippensburg in the semifinals of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships at Robb Sports Complex in Shippensburg on Friday afternoon.
 
Bloomsburg is making its first appearance in the final four since 2015 and fifth semifinals appearance under head coach Nikki Hartranft. The last time the Huskies reached the final four, they took down Shippensburg in a 3-2, overtime thriller in the quarterfinals.
 
Friday's matchup is the first postseason contest between the two teams since November 13, 2018. The contest saw the Raiders pick up a 2-1, overtime victory over Bloomsburg. Overall, the two programs have met in the postseason action five times under Hartranft, with SU holding a 3-2 edge in the series.
 
Bloomsburg secured its spot in the semifinals by defeating No. 5 West Chester in a 2-1 contest at Steph Pettit Stadium on Monday night. The game saw Kara Koch (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) lead the way with a goal and an assist.
 
Koch leads the team in assists this season with ten while tying for first in the conference with East Stroudsburg's Jady van Gils. Senior Aydan McFarland (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg Area) leads the conference in both goals (20) and points (49). McFarland's 49 points and 20 goals is the most by a single player during Hartranft's tenure as head coach. Sophomore Genna Bush (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) has also been a key contributor for the Huskies, notching nine goals this season.
 
Defensively, the Huskies have proven to have one of the top defenses in the country, allowing just 18 goals this season. Senior goalkeeper Jackie Nevel (Nescopeck, Pa./Berwick Area) has posted a career-bests in several statistical categories this season, including goals-against-average (.95) and save percentage (.780). Nevel currently sits tenth all-time for the Huskies in shutouts with 14.
 
For Shippensburg, Agus Garibaldi emerged as the leading scorer, posting 16 goals and eight assists on the year. Four different Raiders are tied for second on the team with seven goals. In the cage, Emma Albee has allowed just 9 goals this season, with eight shutouts and a .54 goals-against average.
 
In their matchup this season, the Raiders got the better of Bloomsburg, beating the Huskies, 3-0, in the opening game of PSAC play.
 
The winner of Friday's contest will face off against the winner of East Stroudsburg and Kutztown in the finals of the PSAC Championship on Sunday, November 10 at noon.

 
Tickets for the game are $10 for adults and $5 for students in grades K-12. Students with a valid ID from a PSAC school get in free. Ticket Sales for the event are cashless and can be purchased through this link. Fans that are unable to attend can follow along with the live stats or watch the game live on the PSAC Digital Network.