EAST STROUDSBURG, PA (October 28, 2010) – Carolynne Kahl scored 3 minutes, 16 seconds into overtime to lift the Kutztown University women's soccer team to a dramatic, 1-0, victory over East Stroudsburg University in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) match Thursday evening at Eiler-Martin Stadium. (BOXSCORE)
Ranked 22nd in the latest National Soccer Coaches' Association of America (NSCAA) top 25 poll, the Golden Bears (12-3-2 overall, 9-3-1 PSAC East) finally prevailed in overtime. Prior to this match, KU had been 0-1-2 in overtime, losing to California while earning draws with Slippery Rock and C.W. Post.
Kutztown extended its unbeaten streak to seven matches after Kahl scored her team-leading 10th goal of the season. Half of her goals have been game-winners. Kahl's sixth shot of the match was the difference. She fired a blast from 17 yards out that found the upper right hand corner of the net. While Kahl helped the Golden Bears and their fans celebrate, a tactical move ultimately proved to be the difference.
“We changed our formation late in the game and it gave us a lift,” Kutztown head women's soccer Erik Burstein said. “We stuck with it and at the start and it created a lot of problems for ESU. I would say tonight's win was definitely perseverance over quality. I thought for us, Crystal Zerbe played an unbelievably great game and Chelsea Deeter was exceptional as well.”
Meanwhile, East Stroudsburg (8-8-1, 5-8) entered the contest with a four-game winning streak. That wasn't the only streak the Golden Bears ended Thursday evening.
Kahl's blast ended East Stroudsburg's scoreless streak of 464 minutes without allowing a goal going back to the Warriors' game against California (Pa.) on Oct. 10. The Warriors had posted four shutouts plus 93 minutes against KU before Kahl found a way to penetrate ESU's goal.
Casey Behrendt (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) made four saves to notch her sixth shutout of the season. The Golden Bears outshot the Warriors, 12-3, after intermission.
Kutztown closes its regular season when it hosts Mansfield University in a PSAC contest starting at 1 p.m. at Keystone Field. Prior to the game, the Golden Bears will honor and recognize Deeter, Jen Pyne (Wall Township, N.J./Wall), Jen Tice (Barnegat, N.J./Southern Regional) and Kelly Bushe (Neptune City, N.J./Neptune), who will be playing their final regular season home game. To read a story on the senior class CLICK HERE
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