Barnes Has Career Day as Field Hockey Falls to Top Ranked Raiders

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Frostburg State Field Hockey team fell to No. 1 Shippensburg 4-1 on the road Tuesday afternoon.
 
In a tough battle against the top team in the country, the Bobcats started out the better of the two sides, winning the ball high up the field six minutes in, where junior Paige Leitzel saw her goal-bound effort deflected wide. Three minutes later, the Raiders worked their way into the game, earning a penalty corner followed by a scramble in the box which featured one shot blocked and another saved and kicked away by junior keeper Zoe Barnes. With 30 seconds to go in the period, Barnes stood firm in goal, blocking a rip directly off a corner to end the first in a 0-0 tie.
 
Within the first two minutes of the second, FSU was awarded their first corner, which led to Leitzel firing another shot at goal, though it was smartly saved by SU goalkeeper Emma Albee. Shippensburg began to ramp up the pressure less than a minute later, as Barnes put herself in front of one effort, then made another kick save shortly after. Barnes and the Bobcat defense continued to make plays over the next three minutes, as she made a diving stop to keep out a slow-rolling effort, then two shots were blocked in a row to keep the hosts off the board.
 
In the final five of the half, Barnes put up another stop before the Frostburg offense got back into the game through senior Femke Hofkamp. After a great run from senior Zoe Reading, she was able to find Hofkamp to wind up a shot, which was pushed away by Albee, then just a few seconds later, sent a ball to the back post that would have found sophomore Emma Price if not for an interception by Albee, as the half ended in a scoreless draw.
 
FSU began the third with the first attack, as this time the ball did find Price in the middle of the arc, but she saw her effort blocked immediately. At the other end, SU was given a pair of corners, from which Barnes made back-to-back saves, then was called into action two minutes later, diving out to thwart a one-on-one shot. Still the Raiders continued to press, seeing one effort go wide and another blocked before finally finding their breakthrough, as a shot from distance off the stick of Taryn Mayer cut through several bodies in front of net and found the bottom right corner for a 1-0 lead. As Shippensburg continued to control possession and chances, Barnes made a further five saves in goal before the final one led to the ball finding Yasmin De Meyer at the back post, slotting home her team's second of the match.
 
SU earned a pair of corners quickly in the fourth, looking to further their advantage, as Barnes made a pair of quickfire saves. Five minutes in, however, the Raiders put the result out of reach, as De Meyer and Valu Paul scored within 30 seconds of each other to suddenly put the game at 4-0. The Bobcats continued to battle, as sophomore Gracie Daniels carved out a great run down the line, cutting into a shooting position before being stopped by Albee. On the resulting corner, a well-worked routine saw the ball passed around to graduate Emilie Bonhivert, who laid the ball on a plate for sophomore Mikyla Rineer to sweep home for a 4-1 score. In the final few minutes, Leitzel had a shot blocked off a corner, while senior Ava Waddell put an effort wide, then Barnes made a couple of late saves to end her game with a career-high 19 saves.
 
The Raiders held a 33-10 advantage in shots, with 23 efforts on goal to FSU's five.
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 6-10 on the year, while Shippensburg improves to 16-0. The Bobcats play their season finale at home on Friday, November 1 against West Chester, with game time set for 4 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.