After being ranked No. 1 all season, Ship earned the top seed in the NCAA Div. II, south region championship, hosting the semifinals and championship at Robb Sports Complex on Nov. 11-13.

For the Lady Raider’s field hockey team, the 2005 season was beyond successful. It was record-breaking and memory-making.

The run towards history began at Robb Sports Complex on August 26, and even after an 8-2 trouncing of Saint Michael’s, little did the team know what was in store for them.

“W e created goals before the season that included winning the PSAC and the NCAA, so the seed was planted during preseason,” senior goalkeeper Nora Luchansky said of the team’s early success. “The first few games of a season really help set the tone for the rest of the year. After that Labor Day weekend tournament, the whole team could sense that the goals we had set were within reach. We just had to take advantage of our opportunities.”

Over the final 11 games of the season, Shippensburg faced eight teams ranked in the nation’s top 10. But all the Lady Raiders did was win.

On September 19, Shippensburg, ranked No. 1 in Division II, hosted three-time defending national champs and No. 2-ranked Bloomsburg, in what would be the first of four meetings between the teams on the season. But with five first-half goals, the Lady Raiders defended home turf, winning 6-2, tightening their grip on the nation’s top ranking.

“That was the point in the season when I realized we were making history,” said senior Gina Coombs. “Bloom had never been beaten by that much in years. But winning that game is when I realized this team could do something that no other Ship hockey team was ever able to do.”

Bloomsburg, though, handed the Lady Raiders their first defeat of the season in a 3-1 thriller at Bloomsburg on October 15.

“It was so important for this team to bounce back after a tough loss,” junior Ashley Watt stated. “Probably the toughest thing to do is go out there after a tough loss and win the next game. We wanted to make the statement that we were still in the hunt for the championship.”

The 2005 Lady Raider field hockey team won the program's first PSAC championship and set a school record with 20 wins.

The Lady Raiders ended the regular season with an 18-2 record and the No. 1 ranked team in the PSAC and the NCAA. Once again, it was second-ranked Bloomsburg that stood between the Lady Raiders and the PSAC title. And after the Huskies opened a 3-0 lead at the half, it looked as if Bloomsburg would spoil another Lady Raider season.

Head Coach Bertie Landes, though, rallied the Lady Raiders, and after Ashley scored in the 49th minute, the comeback had begun. Little-used freshman Natalie Faith scored to cut the lead to 3-2, but Bloomsburg answered with a goal of its own to increase the lead back to two. That goal seemingly put Shippensburg down for the count, but eight seconds after Bloomsburg scored, Ship freshman Kim Davies scored an unassisted goal, cutting the lead back to one. And in a two-minute span that started at the 62-minute mark, Ashley found the back of the cage twice, giving Shippensburg a 5-4 edge.

Kristen Houck (right) and Natalie Grazan show their ball-handling skills.

It was then up to the defense to hang on. Gina and fellow senior defender Kristen Houck staved off the Bloomsburg attack over the final four minutes, sealing Shippensburg’s first PSAC title.

“Winning was exhilarating beyond explanation,” Nora said. “It was one of the greatest events in school history. The game itself was one of the most exciting games I have ever experienced. Top that off with it being the title game and there are no words to describe it.”

Shippensburg capped its season by playing host to the NCAA Division II Field Hockey National Championship Tournament, and reached the NCAA semifinals for the second time in school history, while playing in front of the biggest field hockey crowd in school history as 731 fans packed Robb Sports Complex.

“We worked so hard during the spring to bring this team together and it feels so good to know all that work paid off,” said Gina. “This team is amazing, and I will never forget everything we did together. Because without each and every person on my team working together, we wouldn't have been able to accomplish anything.”

Seniors Casey Fritts, Gina Coombs, Nora Luchansky, Kelsi Balum, and Kristen Houck savor their first PSAC championship. They won 71 games over four seasons while leading two teams (2003, 2005) that set new school records for wins in a season.

Records and Honors

Kelsi Balum gets off a shot.

University Records, team

  • Season wins – 20
  • Straight wins – 16
  • Most goals, season – 108
  • First PSAC title

University records, individual

  • Most goals – Ashley Watt, 30 (2nd PSAC, 4th NCAA)
  • Most points – Ashley Watt, 72 (2nd PSAC & NCAA)

PSAC Records

  • Most goals, season – 108

No. 1 Rankings

  • Division II – national
  • Scoring – Div. II
  • PSAC

Honors

  • Dartfish/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division II
  • All-American (NFHCA): First team – Gina Coombs, Ashley Watt
    Second team – Kendra Emery, Natalie Grazan
    • Womensfieldhockey.com
    • First Team All America – Gina Coombs, Kendra Emery, Natalie Grazan
    • All-PSAC First Team – Gina Coombs, Ashley Watt, Kendra Emery, Natalie Grazan
    • Gina Coombs – 7th in defensive saves, Div. I
    • Ashley Watt – University records for season points (72) and goals (30), 4th in goals, Div. II (2nd PSAC), 2nd in points, Div. II (also PSAC)
    • Natalie Grazan – 5th in goals, Div. II, 6th in points, Div. II