MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - The Bloomsburg women's soccer team picked up its first win of PSAC action Saturday afternoon with a 3-2 result on the road over Millersville.  

The Huskies (4-0) overcame a 1-0 deficit in the first half before finding the back of the net three times in the second half to defeat the Marauders (0-3-1) and remain undefeated on the season. Bloomsburg got its goal-scoring support from Anika Krasnai (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township), Alexa Arrigale (Blackwood, N.J./Highland Regional), and Olivia Thompson (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) in the win. 

How It Happened:
Both teams revealed their intended plans for the contest, as the game started with a high-octane exchange of possessions. The Huskies made the first charge at a goal, led by Anna Dalesandro (Robesonia, Pa./Conrad Weiser) in the midfield. Dalesandro was the distributor on Bloomsburg's three corners 10 minutes into the match, while creating chaos of her own while going for goal. The junior forced the first save out of Millersville goalkeeper Sabrina Zimmerman with a curling long shot aimed toward the top right corner.

The initial outpouring of chances continued for the Huskies in the subsequent minutes. Arrigale took another deep shot at goal from a central position about 25 yards out. Emma Wilkinson (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) nearly netted her first goal of the season after sizing up her defender one-on-one, cutting inside, and rattling a shot off the right post that was eventually cleared from danger.

Just as Bloomsburg had been successful at creating its desired opportunities on offense, the Marauders willingly soaked up the pressure to take advantage of a high defensive backline from the Huskies. Just at the 28-minute mark of the first half, Millersville found success with a ball over the top to spring senior Isabel Coy loose for what would be the first goal of the game and a 1-0 advantage for the home side.

The Marauders continued to utilize their team speed to find attacking opportunities against Bloomsburg. The run-and-chase game again caught the Huskies off guard, leading to a handball called inside the box for a penalty. Peyton Yocum stepped up to the spot for Millersville and, with the kick, missed the penalty to the tune of a notable ring off the right post, as the match went into the half holding at 1-0.

Needing to respond, Bloomsburg dug deep and found the answers it needed in the second half. The final 45 minutes almost got off to a less-than-ideal start with a breakaway opportunity for the Marauders successfully stopped by goalkeeper Samantha Merklin (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley).

The Huskies found the equalizer four minutes into the second half to tie the game at 1-1. Bloomsburg regained possession along the left side of the field and began to attack the Millersville defense. After a Marauder defender took a heavy touch, Wilkinson won the ball back for the Huskies and put a pass on to the feet of Laci Bell (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point). Bell centered the ball, squeaking the pass by a defender, and to Krasnai for the shot and finish to tie the match.

It took just three minutes following the tying goal for Bloomsburg to take its first lead of the contest. After Krasnai had a near miss for a brace, the pressure from the Huskies' front three overwhelmed Millersville for the second goal of the half. The subsequent goal kick was headed back toward the Marauders' backline. The Millersville defender attempted to shake off Arrigale and escape the mark, but instead lost the ball to the senior forward, giving Arrigale a clean one-on-one with the keeper for the lead.

Bloomsburg did not get to celebrate the lead for long, as Millersville dipped back into its counter-attacking well to tie the game at 2-2. 50 seconds after the Huskies' second goal of the half, another lofting ball deep into Bloomsburg's defensive half connected with an attacker. Aubrey Strohecker was the beneficiary on the particular occasion for the Marauders to bring things back to square one. 

The game continued to display an ebb and flow into the latter stages, with each team able to continue testing the opposing defenses. Bloomsburg, however, was able to generate a strong push in the final 10 minutes of the game, creating the necessary opportunity to find a winner.

The late game sequence began with more pressure along the wings, as a cross from the right by Viktorya Luckenbach (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Pine Grove Area) successfully found Kennedie Huber (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) at the back post for a header that went into the side netting. Later efforts by Haley Bull (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) and Thompson challenged Zimmerman in goal, setting up a critical corner kick. The delivery from Dalesandro successfully reached Lindsey Bull (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) in front of the goal. Despite the defender's effort saved off the line, Thompson found herself in the right place at the right time to poke home the ball for the game-winner.

Numbers of Note:
15 - While staunch defensive effort has been a calling card for the Huskies under head coach Matt Haney, the team's scoring production has helped the Bloomsburg women's soccer team to such a strong start. Through four games in 2025, the Huskies have found the back of the net 15 times. It took until Bloomsburg's 10th game last season to score goal number 15..

8 & 11 - The Huskies' successful start this season can be attributed to a complete team effort and quality depth. Through the first four games, Bloomsburg has eight different players with a goal and 11 with an assist. 

On the Horizon:
The Bloomsburg women's soccer team continues its road stretch to open conference play on Wednesday, September 17, against Shippensburg.