GAME OVERVIEW• Millersville has recorded eight consecutive shutouts, storming its way to a 12-0 start--the best in program history. The Marauders' eight consecutive shutouts are two away from a PSAC record set by Bloomsburg in 1995. Even more impressive is that because of overtime sessions played, the Marauders have not allowed a goal in nearly 658 minutes, which is the equivalent to nearly nine-and-a-half regulation games. When Bloomsburg set the record in 1995, overtimes were not played. Millersville has also allowed only five shots on goal in that span and have held six of eight teams without a shot on goal. Shippensburg managed three of those shots on Wednesday.
• Millersville used overtime to beat Shippensburg, improving to 15-3 in extra session games since 2012. Off to an 8-0 start at home this season, the Marauders are 28-1 at home since the start of 2013. During that stretch, the team has allowed just 12 goals at home; a goals against average of 0.41.
• Millersville's goals against average of 0.44 is tops in Division II. It also leads the country in shutouts. The second place team--LIU Post--has half as many as the Marauders. Millersville has surrendered only five goals in 12 games. The program record for fewest goals allowed in a season is 10, which was set in 1980. That club played 15 games, losing one, tying five and totaling eight shutouts. The record for shutouts is 14, which was set just last season.
• Olivia Hershey's game-winner on Wednesday boosted her season total to four, giving Millersville five players with at least three goals and no player with more than six (Aliza Mizak). Hershey scored three points in her first four games and then went four games without one. She has since recorded an assist and two goals in her last four outings. Margaret Thorwart has also picked up her offensive production, totaling eight of her 10 points in the last five games.
• Since entering the starting lineup on Sept. 23, goalkeeper Samantha Rumler has won all six games by shutout but has needed to make just five saves in the process. Not surprisingly, Millersville ranks last in the NCAA in saves per game at 0.36. The next fewest saves recorded is LIU Post at 2.33 per game.
• Coach Shelly Behrens is closing in on history. Her 97-56 career record puts her one win away from tying hall of fame coach Sandra Peters for first on Millersville's career coaching wins list. Her .634 winning percentage is also best among Millersville coaches. Millersville is 65-13 since the start of the 2012 season. ABOUT THE SERIES•
Millersville and Limestone have met each of the last four seasons with the Marauders winning all four meetings--three by shutout. Millersville has won 14 consecutive games against non-PSAC opponents. The last lost came to Bellarmine in 2011. THE LAST MEETING (MILLERSVILLE 4, LIMESTONE 0 - OCT. 25, 2015)• Millersville received four goals from four players in a convincing, 4-0 victory over sixth-ranked Limestone. No. 1 Millersville and No. 6 Limestone entered the tilt with identical records and losses to the same teams but Millersville dominated the fourth-ever meeting between the clubs and improved to 4-0 all-time in the series.
Rachel Dickinson,
Hannah Whitman and
Randi Boyd combined to give Millersville a 3-0 lead at the break.
Olivia Hershey tacked on a second-half goal, and
Lauren Sotzin posted the 27th shutout of her career, which tied the Millersville record.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT• Kim Keever is in her first season as Limestone's head coach but has been with the program as its assistant since 2009. She took over after Lindsay Jackson was hired as the head coach at Holy Cross. Keever is no stranger to PSAC field hockey as she was an All-American at Shippensburg and was the PSAC West Player of the Year in 2008.
• Limestone posted a program-best 17-3 record last season behind 51 points from All-American Rachel Goromonzi. Goromonzi graduated and the Saints have not easily replaced that offensive production. Jill Funkhouser is the top scorer with six goals and four assists. She scored three goals in the opener against IUP and has managed a goal in just two other games this season.
• Two of the Saints' three losses have come by one goal. Most recently, they were downed 4-1 by West Chester. The Saints managed seven corners and eight shots but did not score until it was 4-0. Limestone has three wins over PSAC teams this season (IUP, Kutztown, Bloomsburg).
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