With only six regular season games left, the Millersville Marauders Field Hockey Team is making moves towards securing their 10th consecutive postseason appearance.
Millersville secured big inner conference wins, taking down Bloomsburg and West Chester in the early weeks of the season as well as #9 ranked Adelphi.
Slippery Rock came into town this past homecoming weekend as the Marauders grabbed another important PSAC win, signifying their top spot in the conference. Kate Strickland showed out in her senior day game, recording a hat trick as the Marauders would defeat Slippery Rock 6-2 on Friday afternoon at Biemesderfer Stadium. Millersville was in control from the start of the game, out shooting The Rock 27-9 while also maintaining a 15-8 advantage in penalty corners.
Strickland put in the first, third, and sixth goals of the game, bringing her season total to 16 goals. Yet another impressive performance from Strickland has moved her into a three way tie for second place on the Marauders single season goals list. The current record is held by Dena Gockley, who scored 19 goals in a single season in 1994. With five games left in the regular season, it looks like we may have a new record holder in Kate Strickland here soon.
“Honestly I wouldn’t be having the season I am without my team. You can’t get the ball in the back of the net without an incredibly talented team to get it up the field. I think it says a lot about everyone on this team and how well we work together,” says Strickland when asked about her historic season.
One of the biggest wins this year came against the #1 ranked West Chester Golden Rams last week. Going into the half, the Marauders would find themselves down 1-0, having trouble kickstarting the offense against a tough Rams defense. The team was also tasked with stopping the nations top offensive club in West Chester, who averages almost five goals per game. The Millersville defense came to play, holding the elite Rams attack to just one goal. Although the Marauders had trouble getting their offense going in the first half, they only found themselves down at the break.
“Just need a little more,” said coach Shelly Behrens to her team during halftime.
Behrens’ team delivered, opening up the second half strong, controlling the time of possession while outshooting West Chester 11-5 in the latter half of the game. Two late scores, including a last minute go ahead goal from Kristin Strijdom, would push Millersville past West Chester, handing the Rams their first loss of the season.
“I loved how we responded after the West Chester goal. We stayed with the game plan. They didn’t get carried away in the moment. Credit to West Chester. They always bring out the best in us,” said Coach Behrens in her post-game interview.
The Marauders will need to keep that same tenacity coming down the stretch of the regular season. Challenging, inner-conference road games fill the rest of the schedule, going against teams like Kutztown, Shippensburg and West Chester again to close out yet another successful season for the Marauders Field Hockey Team.
“Right now I’m just focusing on what is right ahead of me, PSAC Playoffs and NCAA’s,” says Strickland.
Looking Ahead
-Saturday October 29 @ IUP
-Wednesday November 2 vs. Shippensburg
-Wednesday November 9 @ West Chester
-Saturday November 12 @ Mansfield
