SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg men's soccer team controlled the game from the opening whistle in a 3-1 road victory over Shippensburg Saturday afternoon.

The Huskies recorded a season-best three goals in the contest, with five players contributing to the scoring efforts. Sam Blumberger (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy) connected with Owen Hollobaugh (State College, Pa./State College) to open things up for Bloomsburg and take a 1-0 lead into the half. Quaid Molino (Charleston, S.C./Wando (S.C.) / South Williamsport (Pa.)) netted his first goal as a Husky off a rebound in the box to double the advantage before Brayden Ahlum (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton) and Jaliyl Melvin (Mount Holly, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) connected in open space to make it 3-0. The Raiders' goal came inside the final three minutes of play from a penalty after a whistle in the box from light contact. 

Bloomsburg improves to 5-2-1 on the season and sits at 2-1-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. Shippensburg slips to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

How It Happened:
The first 15-plus minutes of the match rolled by without any team making much of its chances in the final third, with both sides registering an off-target shot. The Huskies turned up their intensity, approaching the 20-minute threshold in the half.

Bloomsburg got things going in the 20th minute from a long-initiated free kick. Brady Rimple (Cherryville, Pa./Northampton Area) stood over the free kick after a drawn foul and punted the ball around 27 yards out from goal, connecting with an elevating Blumberger. The junior nodded the ball onto a streaking Hollobaugh, with the sophomore getting behind one center back and squaring his left foot around the ball to beat the keeper and put the Huskies up 1-0. 

The action on net would simmer down for the remainder of the half, with Anthony Schlee (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) putting the last shot on goal in the second half. Following a corner kick and a series of passes and deflections, Schlee found himself just past the six-yard spot for an attempt that ricocheted off the hands of Shippensburg goalkeeper Ryan Krumenacker to end the first 45 minutes.]

The Huskies kept their foot on the gas in the second half en route to securing the victory. Bloomsburg took advantage of a long throw in the early stages of the second half to double its advantage.

Teagan Wallace (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) took his place on the sidelines for the insert to find Kody Besser (Lacey Township, N.J./Lacey Township) in the box to center the ball. After several deflections off Bloomsburg players, Molino snuck inside the box to line up a one-timer to the right side of goal for the 2-0 lead. 
The Huskies continued their aggressive efforts in the attacking third to generate pressure, using any means necessary to keep Shippensburg in a bind. The onslaught in the final third continued throughout the remainder of the half and paid off with the third and final goal of the afternoon in the 70th minute. 

Bloomsburg initiated its plan after dispossessing the Raiders in their half. Alex Wilsterman (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) played a lofting ball to the right wing, connecting with Schlee and Graiden Carter (Bucks County, Pa./Central Bucks East). The pair played a one-two before Schlee slotted the ball to the feet of Ahlum, working his way toward the middle of the field. Working around a defender, Ahlum slotted a through ball on the inside of the outside back to an open Melvin, with the redshirt sophomore putting the perfect touch on the ball to the lower right corner to make it a 3-0 game. 

From then on, the game remained firmly in the Huskies' control without much pressure from Shippensburg. The Raiders caught a break in the dying moments of the contest with an awarded penalty kick, eventually converted by Victor Vottero to wrap up the match at 3-1.

The all-around performance for Bloomsburg was highlighted by the ability to generate chances. The Huskies finished the day with 19 shots, nine in the first half and 10 in the second, totaling six on target for the game. Shippensburg could not generate a chance on target until its penalty kick in the 88th minute.

Numbers of Note:
3 - The Huskies' three goals was a welcome sight for the offense. It is the first time this season Bloomsburg has scored at least three goals after doing so four times in 2023.

1 - Several players recorded their firsts in a Bloomsburg shirt. Melvin and Molino each notched their first career goals in the Maroon & Gold. Ahlum registered his first career point with his second-half assist.

19-3 - The Huskies' presence on the offensive end was paramount to the team's success Saturday afternoon. For the first time this season, the team finished with a double-digit discrepancy in shots to its opponents, finishing with a 16-shot advantage over the Raiders. 

On the Horizon: 
The Huskies return to the grounds of Steph Pettit Stadium after a bye on Saturday, October 5, at 3:00 p.m. for a pivotal PSAC East matchup with defending PSAC Champions Millersville.