LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University field hockey team got goals from Tamia Roach (Petit Valley, Trinidad and Tobago/St. Joseph's Convent Port-of-Spain) and Kiersten Cepeda (Lititz, Pa./Warwick), and goalkeeper Paige Stuppy (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) made five second-half saves to power the Bald Eagles to a thrilling 2-1 victory over local-rival Bucknell.
 
The win was Lock Haven's ninth of the season as The Haven moves to 9-2 overall. Tonight's non-conference tilt with Bucknell (3-6) opened a five-game homestand for LHU, who is 4-1 on Charlotte Smith Field this season.
 
LHU went up 1-0 just 1:27 into the match as Roach deflected home a ball from Alyscia Smith (Newport, Pa./Newport).
 
Lock Haven led 1-0 at halftime, but the second half started with a scoring frenzy as the two teams combined for two goals in the opening two minutes.
 
Just 43 seconds into the second half, Bucknell equalized after Kiersten Sydnor knocked home rebound.
 
Lock Haven regained the lead just 1:07 later thanks to Cepeda, who redirected a Tabatha Almond (Souderton, Pa./Souderton) shot.
 
Defensively, LHU head coach Pat Rudy got a solid 70 minutes from Stephanie Whiteman (Trincity, Trinidad and Tobago/Bishop Anstey East). The Haven standout was credited with a defensive save as time expired in the first half when she cleared a Bison shot off the line.
 
Stuppy, who played the second half in the cage, was brilliant over the final 35 minutes. She fended off the late-game Bison rally and made a kick save from point-blank range late in the final minutes to preserve the victory.
 
LHU hosts Rider on Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m.