EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - The No. 21 Bloomsburg women's soccer team dropped its first game of the season on the road, 1-0, against East Stroudsburg on Wednesday evening.  

The Huskies (5-1-1, 2-1-1 PSAC East) went without a goal for the first time in 2025 against the Warriors (2-1-3, 1-1-3 PSAC East) for the side's first conference win of the season. East Stroudsburg won possession in its attacking half, capitalized on the opportunity, and managed to hold on for the result.

How It Happened:
The Warriors managed to dictate the early portion of the midweek match, with pressure coming from possession and a select number of shots. East Stroudsburg fired off five of its six first-half shots in the opening 20 minutes, forcing a pair of early stops from goalkeeper Samantha Merklin (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley). Bloomsburg's lone effort in the early portion of the contest came from Anika Krasnai (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) in the ninth minute. 

After surviving the initial push from the Warriors, the Huskies looked to have settled into the match. Bloomsburg managed to create numerous set-piece scenarios in search of a goal, drawing seven corner kicks and several free-kick opportunities. The Huskies' attacking presence funneled along the wings, with Viktorya Luckenbach (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Pine Grove Area) and Kennedie Huber (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) coming off the bench to cause problems for the East Stroudsburg defense. 

After Beth Stephens (Lacey Township, Pa./Marine Academy of Technology) put the lone shot on target in the opening half in the 39th minute, the Warriors managed to act against the run of play to jump out in front. After a loose touch created a mad dash for the ball in the midfield, East Stroudsburg managed to get on it first, allowing Sydney Hornberger to play Jade Wiley through for the goal.

Needing a response, Bloomsburg turned up the pressure on the pressing front, leading to an increase in opportunities on the ball and the chance to make a vital play. As the Warriors remained content with the consequences of the pressure, the Huskies continued to funnel play along the flanks in an effort to find the back of the net. Luckenbach and Emma Wilkinson (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) supplied direct challenges to defenders in the open field, with Bloomsburg as a team looking for shooting space in the middle. 

The first good look for the Huskies came on a second chance from a corner, as a looping ball centered for Olivia Thompson (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) six yards in saw the forward's header go over the crossbar. Wilkinson nearly saw an attempt rattled in off the woodwork, as a swinging ball from the left side hit the crossbar and opposite post before falling back into the box, before a short clearance by East Stroudsburg. 

Entering the final 20 minutes of the contest, Bloomsburg continued to commit bodies forward in search of the equalizer. Stephens put another touch toward the cage that forced a catch from the Warriors' goalkeeper without much further trouble. The Huskies thought they would have a one-on-one opportunity, as Haley Bull (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) drove toward the net and beat her defender. The freshman was unable to fire off a shot, getting clipped from behind in the box with no signal from the referee for a penalty in the 74th minute. 

The last-ditch efforts from Bloomsburg continued to play toward the trio of Huber, Luckenbach, and Krasnai. In the end, neither one of the attackers nor any other Husky could find the time and space to find the evasive goal. 

Numbers of Note:
2-5 | 11-1 - While the pressure the Huskies placed on the East Stroudsburg defense might not have appeared in the shot chart, it did rear its head in the corner kick tally. Bloomsburg only managed to put two shots on target in Wednesday's contest to the Warriors' five, while noticeably edging the Warriors 11-1 in the corner kick department. 

On the Horizon:
Bloomsburg women's soccer is back at Steph Pettit Stadium on Saturday, September 27, at 6:00 p.m. for a top-25 matchup against No. 24 Shepherd.