KUTZTOWN, Pa. - "Keep shooting." That was the message from Millersville head coach Shelly Behrens as Shippensburg stifled penalty corner after penalty corner in Friday's PSAC Semifinal. The Marauders kept shooting and broke through on a Codi Bollinger tip-in with fewer than two minutes remaining. The goal helped Millersville to a 2-1 victory and a spot in Sunday's PSAC Championship game. 

In addition to Bollinger's game-winner, Kate Strickland scored her 19th goal of the season, tying the Millersville single-season record that has stood since 1994. Goalkeeper Kerstin Koons made six saves including three in the fourth quarter, withstanding three Shippensburg penalty corners.

Her effort typified a resilient Millersville team that after taking an early lead saw the momentum shift fully in favor of the Raiders in the second quarter. But the Marauders responded with eight shots and eight corners in the final six minutes of the game. It was finally on the seventh corner that Bollinger scored the game-winner. "Keep shooting."

"We were a little disrupted and out of pattern," said Behrens. "(The coaches) asked the players to stay together and not go individual. The message in the third and the fourth quarter was not to go try win the game but just go play the game. When we play the game we are good."

With the game tied 1-1 entering the fourth quarter, 'Ville goalkeeper Kerstin Koons turned away a pair of corners and made a save in the opening minute. But the final six minutes belonged to Millersville. In one two-minute stretch, Millersville earned five corners and peppered Ship's Lindsay Tripodo with five shots but came up empty.  Shippensburg flipped the field momentarily and earned a corner with 2:37 remaining, but Koons denied both Savannah Silvestre and Tess Jedeloo on back-to-back tries. Just 32 seconds later, Millersville pushed the ball into the circle and earn another series of corners. 
 
"You are wearing down the defense," said Behrens. "They are at a numerical disadvantage. We've trained the players to have that mindset, not get frustrated, but know they are wearing them down. The players called two or three on their own, and I trust them to do that."

With Millersville's first line featuring Strickland and assist leader Bri Harsh resting on the sidelines, the Marauders' called Ashlynn Lennon's number. Lennon's shot from the top of the circle took two hops before finding Bollinger positioned on the left side of the cage. Bollinger redirected the ball past the Shippensburg defense. 

"I felt like that was open all day," said Behrens of Bollinger's goal. "Codi just missed two or three. It was a good spot. We got a good bounce for her to get a stick on it. Good composure by her. Sometimes players will swing or try to do too much, and she did just enough."

Millersville (16-4) needed the win to keep its season alive, and the Marauders improved to 2-0 on the season against the Raiders (15-3), which were ranked No. 1 in the most recent Atlantic Region ranking. It was Shippensburg that ended Millersville's season in the PSAC Semifinals in 2021 by the very same 2-1 score. The Marauders will play for the PSAC Championship for the first time since 2016. They'll take on either No. 1 seed Kutztown or East Stroudsburg. 

"I've been here before but (the players) haven't," said Behrens. "I want them to enjoy every second of it. We'll have a light practice tomorrow. In all honesty, we are just us. We are going to do what we do. When I gave them the itinerary, we included Saturday practice. That's how we are going to think--live as if. Just keep focused on the process and not the result."

As has been the custom, Millersville jumped out to an early lead behind Strickland. Fewer than two minutes into the game, George Werkiser slid a pass to Strickland in the circle. Strickland turned to her right and dribbled toward the cage with a defender on her hip. Strickland continued to arc toward the left post, gained just enough of an advantage on the defender to take a shot and lifted the ball to the left of a sliding Tripodo. 

PSAC Freshman of the Year Agus Garibaldi tied the game 3:13 into the second quarter with her 17th goal of the season. Shippensburg out-shot Millersville 3-1 and held the Marauders without a corner in the second period. Millersville held an 11-5 advantage in shots and a 12-5 edge in corners in the third and fourth quarters. 

Koons made possibly the game's biggest play with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Shippensburg blasted the ball from midfield and found a sprinting Jedeloo all alone against Koons. Koons stuffed Jedeloo's shot and then cleared the ball from the circle, keeping the game tied. 

"I'll steal the ESPN line. She's as cool as the other side of the pillow," said Behrens. "You can just count on her. On her worst day I know I can count on her. She was prepared, she knew not to do too much."

NOTES
• Bollinger's goal was her fifth of the season. Werkiser's assist was her sixth. 
• Friday's game was the ninth postseason meeting between Millersville and Shippensburg since 2012. All nine games have been decided by one goal, and Millersville is 7-2 in those games. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville plays the winner of Kutztown and East Stroudsburg Sunday at 12 p.m. in Kutztown. Millersville has won four PSAC Championships including two under Behrens. The last conference title for the Marauders was in 2016.