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Millersville

Lennon, Morgan
2
Frostburg St. FROSTBUR (4-3, 0-0)
4
Winner Millersville MILLERSV (4-1, 0-0)
Frostburg St. FROSTBUR
(4-3, 0-0)
2
Final
4
Millersville MILLERSV
(4-1, 0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Frostburg St. FROSTBUR 0 0 0 2 2
Millersville MILLERSV 2 1 0 1 4

Game Recap: Field Hockey | | Connor Glunt, Athletic Communication Graduate Assistant

Strong start leads Marauders past Bobcats

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Marauders defended home turf in their last matchup before beginning in-conference play, defeating the Frostburg State Bobcats 4–2.
 
Millersville got out to a commanding start, scoring the first four goals of the contest and leading 3–0 in the early stages of the second quarter. Gianna Cugino played a big role in the outcome, tallying a goal and an assist. Codi Bollinger, Qhayiya Nogoduka, and Kristin Strijdom got the other three goals for the Marauders. Kerstin Koons started in net, playing 53 minutes and making two saves on the two shots on goal she faced.
 
In the fifth minute of the game, the Marauders had possession outside the arc and a cluster of bodies in front of the net. Strijdom sent a pass into crowd and Cugino got the deflection, redirecting the pass into the top right of the net to give Millersville the early lead. Minutes later, Strijdom had the ball right of the net and sent a pass in that bounced around before finding Bollinger, who took a step out towards the top of the arc, turned, and fired the ball past the goalkeeper for her third goal of the season. 
 
Just 20 seconds into the second quarter, Cugino had the ball near the left corner of the field and sent an airborne pass to the front of the net, as Nogoduka was slashing in and bunted it for her seventh goal of the season. Head coach Shelly Behrens said Cugino's impact was noticeable from the opening whistle.
 
"She just does a great job on the field," Behrens said. "She's got great hands. That was a fantastic goal that she set up for [Nogoduka] to touch in. To me, that's a play of the week."
 
Millersville was able to control possession and chances for the middle quarters and scored again later in the early moments of the fourth quarter. Strijdom started with the ball outside the top of the arc, moving through defenders before taking a shot and burying it for her first goal of the season. Cugino nearly had her third point of the game shortly after, but her shot was stopped by a Bobcats defensive save.
 
The Bobcats pushed back at the end, scoring twice in a three-minute span, but the Marauders held on for the 4–2 victory. The Marauders improved to 4–1 on the season and will open up in-conference play in their next game at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 at home against IUP. 
 
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Millersville led Frostburg State in shots, 10–7, led in shots on goal 7–4, and also held a 14–4 advantage in penalty corners.
  • Kerstin Koons played 53 minutes of shutout goalkeeping for Millersville, her most playing time since Sept. 3 at Bentley.
  • Nogoduka's point total reached 14 on her team-leading seventh goal of the season. Nogoduka is second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in goals, and first in goals per game (1.4) and points per game (2.8).
  • Strijdom's first goal of the season gives her six points total (one goal, four assists), good for third on the team in points.
 
GAME NOTES
  • The Marauders are now 2­­–1 against the Bobcats, with both of their wins coming at home.
  • Millersville has won 14 straight games at Biemesderfer Stadium dating back to the end of the 2021 season.
 
POSTGAME REACTION FROM SHELLY BEHRENS
Thoughts on the win: "It's nice to get a win at home. I really thought the first three quarters were really good. We were doing a lot of positive things. [In the fourth quarter], I changed a few things. I wanted us to see some different things structure wise, play around with a few things, and credit to Frostburg, they took advantage of our errors. So I liked that we make these errors if I'm being honest. We still come out with a win, and we can learn from it."
 
On the strong start: "I think we were just ready to go. I think we've been training well, and it's nice to get back into that [rhythm]. Now we're playing Wednesday, Saturday, and we have a game Tuesday. So I think kids are excited to be back in a rhythm.
 
On opening up PSAC play on Saturday: "I think it's what it's been all along, let's get better. Can we be better tomorrow than we were today? That's been our mindset all along. I coach a complicated game, but I try to coach it simply. We just have some kids finding their way. We move some people around tonight, and it was a good time to do it. It was a good time to do it before conference play. So I think our mindset is the 24-hour rule, let's enjoy this and let's get back to work."
 
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