BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The No. 21 Bloomsburg women's soccer team fought until the closing moments to secure a 2-2 draw against No. 24 Shepherd Saturday evening.  

The Huskies (5-1-2, 2-1-2 East) capitalized at opportune times in the contest, beating the Rams (3-0-3, 2-0-3 PSAC East) on the counter twice to finish with a tied score. The freshman duo of Haley Bull (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) and Viktorya Luckenbach (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Pine Grove Area) delivered once more in their young careers, with the pair scoring both goals for Bloomsburg in the second half. Luckenbach found Bull on an early cross to allow the attacker to slot away the team's first goal of the night. In the late stages of the contest, Luckenbach raced past the Shepherd defense on the counter, beating everyone for the solo effort with only a few minutes remaining on the clock. 

How It Happened:
The Rams' style of play dictated the early possession and tempo throughout most of the match. Shepherd's patience, building and playing the ball around the box, eventually paid dividends in the 14th minute with the opening goal. Forward Lydia Gable created enough space to step inside and loft a ball into the box to find Anaya Lozano cutting to the post. Lozano got just enough on a header to sneak inside the post and put the visitors up 1-0 early.

As the Huskies searched for their bearings against the Rams, goalkeeper Samantha Merklin (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley) helped her side stay within touching distance in the ensuing time. Following the goal, the senior shot stopper rattled off an additional four saves to keep it a 1-0 score. 

The flashes for Bloomsburg to score were apparent in the opening half, as the team found pockets and showed positive signs on the counter-offensive. Luckenbach drew a foul in Shepherd's half and took the first good crack at goal for the Huskies on a blocked shot. Luckenbach's speed on the wings showcased its potential, as after racing past a defender into the final third, the freshman's cross took an awkward deflection off a Rams defender into a first-time shot by an unmarked Anna Dalesandro (Robesonia, Pa./Conrad Weiser) that went over the crossbar.

It was apparent that Bloomsburg's belief in itself reflected heavily in the halftime adjustments, with the Huskies ramping up their intensity in all phases of the game. Every tackle and drive toward the goal came with fortitude, as the team's first chance in the second half came within 30 seconds following the whistle. Anika Krasnai (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) ran onto a through ball by Sydney Donovan (Middletown, Del./Appoquinimink) that split through the right side of the defense before whipping a cross into the box that Shepherd's goalie Hannah Wilt secured.

Bloomsburg got the breakthrough moments later with its first successful counter of the night. With the Rams looking to play a quick one-two outside the box, Sophia Clark (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) stepped into an intended cross, allowing Luckenbach to track and carry the ball down the right flank. With an extended dribble, the winger's cross forced a Shepherd center back to make a decision, with a leaping header for a clearance whiffed. Bull tracked the ball well off the bounce, able to step in and slot the ball at the near post off her left foot past a charging Wilt to tie the game at 1-1.

Looking for their own response, the Rams amped up their own aggressiveness in the next 10 minutes, firing off five shots and drawing three corners in that timeframe. With Shepherd's sights set on a second goal, the Huskies continued finding their moments on the counter. Krasnai attacked from the opposite wing and found enough room for her own left-footed shot that just sailed over the crossbar.

Another flurry after the 70-minute mark in the contest provided the opening for the Rams to net their second goal. Gable continued supplying pressure from her position out wide, making her way into the box from several scenarios to attempt three shots. Sarah Peternel would have the best chance preceding the second goal, with her long-range strike forcing Merklin to make an extended save towards the top side of the goal. Eventually, Shepherd found its second, as a short clear just outside the 18-yard box allowed forward Merritt Delk to settle and play a cutting Reagan Ackerman behind the Bloomsburg defense to give the visitors a 2-1 edge. 

The Rams settled back into their possession game, making adjustments to their style to counteract the Huskies' press. Shepherd looked to beat Bloomsburg over the top several times in the game's final stretch, with the Rams being whistled for offsides three times in under four minutes. In the final moments of the game, Shepherd's preferred backfired, as a misplayed pass to the backline provided the opportunity the Huskies were seeking. Sending bodies along the left side of the field, Bloomsburg forced the Rams to turn their sights away from the goal and back for the outlet pass. The second in a string to the half-line caught the Shepherd defender on her heels, providing the necessary opening for Luckenbach to win an initial foot race. After one heavy touch to gain a step on one defender, another strong touch slipped the ball by a second, sliding defender to create a one-on-one with Wilt. Getting just inside the box, Wilt stumbled in her attempt to lunge for the ball, providing just enough of an opening for Luckenbach to earn the draw for the Huskies.

Numbers of Note:
2 - The tandem goal-scoring efforts of Bull and Luckenbach gave the Huskies a first for any team this year against the Rams. Bloomsburg is the first team through Shepherd's first six games to score multiple goals on the Rams' defense. Entering the contest, Shepherd had surrendered just two goals all season. The two goals are additionally more than the Huskies netted in their three games last year against the Rams.

0 - The Huskies made their chances on goal count, going two-for-two on the night when it mattered most. Bloomsburg was able to sneak both goals past a former first-team All-America goalkeeper in Wilt, who finished with zero saves on the night for the Rams.

On the Horizon:
Bloomsburg women's soccer returns to Steph Pettit Stadium on Wednesday, October 1, at 7:00 p.m. to take on Lock Haven.