Box Score Virginia Beach, Va. - A remarkable and historical season came to a close Friday night under the lights of the National Training Center in Virginia Beach. Millersville field hockey, playing it its first-ever NCAA Division II Semifinal game, concluded a 19-3 campaign with a 3-1 defeat against Shippensburg.

Millersville bested the Raiders (19-1) in the PSAC Championship game, but an early goal but Lauren Taylor and a late offensive burst pushed Shippensburg into the national championship game against LIU Post. The Marauders hadn't allowed a single goal in the first three postseason games, and Shippensburg became the first team to score three on the Marauders all season.

Even with a slow start, the Marauders tied the game at 1-1 3:46 into the second half on a goal from Samantha Ruane and assist from Hannah Whitman. The Marauders and Raiders remained deadlocked until just over 14 minutes left when Ari Saytar scored off of a penalty corner. With the Marauders pressing for an equalize, Shippensburg caught the Marauders in transition just over seven minutes left and Bre White put the third goal on the board.

"It was a little reactive and nervy in the beginning," said head coach Shelly Behrens. "We haven't given up three goals all year so I think there were some nerves."

Shippensburg recorded seven penalty corners and five shots in the first half alone, while Millersville struggled to push the ball into its offensive end. The Marauders picked up just one shot off its one penalty corner. Ship goalkeeper Carenna Neely faced only one shot the entire game, and that came on Ruane's goal. 

Millersville charged into the second half and picked up an early corner. The entry went to Whitman.

"Hannah had a shot on goal and set up a perfect opportunity," said Ruane. "I just tipped it in. My teammates set up a great play."

Millersville and Shippensburg played even until Saytar's goal went low through traffic.

Shippensburg finished with eight shots and 12 corners, and Millersville totaled three shots and four corners.

The Marauders last reached a NCAA Semifinal in 1985 as a member of Division III. But after a PSAC runner-up finish in 2012, a PSAC title and NCAA appearance in 2013, Millersville expects to use the experience as a springboard into 2014.

"It was just the next step in where we want to go and where we want to get to," said Behrens. "I'm proud of how we've done that. Today is just a speed bump. Being here now has prepared us for getting to the next step. Last year we were second to West Chester in the PSAC and the girls stood there and remembered that feeling and that helped us tremendously getting to this point. I couldn't be more proud."

The senior class of Ruane, Brittany Troutman, Emily Litchford and Mary Atkins helped pilot a significant turnaround. As freshmen, the team went 7-11. Three years later, its team made a mark in Millersville lore.

"These four young women have been tremendous in everything they have done for us on and off the field," said Behrens. "I ask some much of them and they demand a lot from themselves. They have a desire to see their teammates be better. They don't care as much about themselves as they do their teammates. The one word that encapsulates this group is selflessness. One of the intangibles we try to put in place in Millersville field hockey is that we take care of the person on the left and the person the right. I couldn't be more proud of them. We've earned everything we've gotten."