MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Captain Georgia Werkiser set an urgent, attacking tone for the Millersville Marauders, and Kate Strickland continued to do what Kate Strickland does--score goals. The Marauders stayed undefeated at 7-0 and opened its PSAC schedule with a 4-2 win over Bloomsburg at home Friday night. 

After four seasons toiling in the midfield, Werkiser turned in a career offensive performance at the perfect time. She entered Friday's PSAC opener with three career goals and four assists but got the Marauders rolling early, assisting on Millersville's first and third goals and scoring her team's second. While Werkiser jump-started the Marauders' attack, Strickland was the finisher, scoring the game-winner and the fourth-quarter knockout blow less that one minute after Bloomsburg had pulled within one. 

Strickland, who has scored in all seven games, boosted her single-season total to 10, becoming one of the fastest players in program history to double-digit goals. Strickland is now one of just five Marauders to score 10 in back-to-back seasons. 

Bloomsburg (5-4, 0-1) had won three in a row entering Friday's contest, and the club had not allowed more than three goals in a game all season. The Huskies gave the Marauders a fight, becoming the first team all season to out-shoot Millersville (12-11) and the second team to earn more corners (8-6). 

Millersville did more with its chances, however. Millersville drew its first corner three minutes into the game. Off an insert from Bri Harsh, Werkiser ripped a shot from the top of the circle. Hustling into position on the left side of the cage, Harsh got just enough stick on Werkiser's shot to tip it into the goal. Werkiser's first goal of the season came in the 12th minute. Pili Zaballa gathered a loose ball off the keeper's pads and pushed a no-look pass behind her to Werkiser. Without hesitation, Werkiser beat the drawn out keeper for a 2-0 Millersville lead. 

Bri Doebler pulled Bloomsburg within one early in the third quarter, but Strickland retaliated fewer than two minutes later. Werkiser received the penalty corner insert and slid a pass to her left where Strickland swept the ball off the keeper's outside leg into the cage. Bloomsburg cut Millersville's advantage to 3-2 on a well-executed corner by Sam Schaffer and Aydan McFarland, but Strickland put the game away in the 49th minute. 

The Qhayiya Nogoduka created the goal with her stick skill, weaving through defenders to the baseline before crossing a pass into the center of the circle. Strickland slipped through the cracks in the Huskies' defense and poked the ball into the cage for goal No. 10 of the season. 

POSTGAME REACTION FROM COACH SHELLY BEHRENS
•  On the level of play against PSAC opponents: "I truly think that PSAC teams bring out the best in each other. It was fun tonight. Our energy was great. It was exciting to watch. Credit to Bloom for scoring two nice goals. We loved our reaction after we gave up a goal. Our team defense wasn't as strong as it typically is, but the energy was awesome tonight."
•  On Werkiser's performance: "That's what we've wanted her to do. How we attacked as a team was the best we've attacked all season. There was suddenness. You defend differently when you have speed and quickness coming at you. Credit Georgia for a heck of a game."
•  On the fourth goal that increased the lead: "There was some positive build-up and positive structure. We stayed with it attacking-wise. We got the ball in and attacked the circle. We want to keep building off that. Just laying the ball on goal and giving your teammate a chance to play it led to a goal. (Nogoduka) attacked with quickness and it ended with a shot on goal. You can write it up that way but rarely does it happen like that."

NOTES
•  Millersville has now won 11 of the last 13 games against Bloomsburg, but Friday's game was the first since 2016 that did not result in a one-score game. Eight of the last 10 meetings have been one-goal games with three finishing in overtime. 
•  While Werkiser scored her first goal since Sept. 11, 2021, she has recorded an assist in three-straight games and is the team-leader with four. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville steps out of conference play on Oct. 8 with a trip to Frostburg State.