Momentum shifts forced the Shippensburg University women’s soccer team into a neck and neck first game of the season, as the Raiders tied the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats, 2-2.

With the team just getting back into game shape throughout training camp, the Bobcats proved a tough test to overcome, pushing the Raiders to fight off two one-goal deficits to take the game to overtime. 

West Virginia Wesleyan kicked off the scoring just over six minutes into the game off a corner kick, putting SU on its heels early. The Raiders responded in the right way, though, storming back with a one timer off the foot of Kelsey Fitzgerald that curved just under the cross bar to tie the game. 

The teams fought for a discernable advantage, with each team registering some quality chances, but it was the Bobcats who broke through first, sneaking a ball through the Raider defense to regain the lead. Shippensburg’s Tori Mills slipped through the defense to gain a partial breakaway, forcing the opposing goalie to haul her down, but SU was unable to convert on the ensuing free kick. 

Shippensburg trailed 2-1 at half, but the team looked confident it could score again as SU began slowing down play and pushing long drives deep into Wesleyan’s defense. The Raiders’ pressure was rewarded with several corners, allowing captain Kat Hartner to work her magic, curving a ball straight into the side netting from a corner. 

After Hartner’s goal evened the score at 2-2, the intensity grew dramatically for both teams. A goal-line stop by freshman goalie Delaney Shifflett sent the Raiders up field, where Anna Snee’s monster shot was stopped by a defender just in front of the net. With both teams trading chances, it felt like one team sealing the win was imminent before overtime kicked off. 

Both goalies stood tall, turning aside chance after chance from forwards looking to give their team the advantage. Shippensburg appeared to have the momentum heading into overtime, after the Raiders carried play and nearly converted off a pair of corners late in the game.   

Wesleyan did not go out quietly as overtime commenced, immediately gunning for the exhausted Raider squad. Two corner kicks early against SU forced Shifflett to turn in an early save of the year candidate, stoning a header to the back post without giving up a rebound.

The game finished with 2-2, with neither team able to pull the trigger on the last goal. The Bobcats proved to be a tough test early, allowing head coach Rob Fulton to zero in on things he would like his team to improve on for the rest of the season. 

“It was a little rough in the first half defensively, we needed to sort some things out as far as marking and organization,” Fulton said. “But we sorted it out and it was a fairly even game between two tough teams.”

Some teams find it hard to bounce back from a rough start, but Shippensburg showed its resiliency early on immediately tying the game after relinquishing a goal. The positive energy on the sidelines continued to show throughout the game as the team became more comfortable as the game progressed. 

“It was a pretty good first game for us to have,” Fulton said. “Once we made a few adjustments and kind of settled in, we were fine and there are a lot of positives [to take away].”

The Raiders face Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at IUP.

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