KUTZTOWN, PA (November 12, 2010) – Heading into the final weekend of the season, the Kutztown University field hockey team will look to secure yet another winning season in its program's history.
The Golden Bears (10-8 overall, 4-4 PSAC East) will need to win one of their last two games of the season to clinch a fourth straight winning season under head field hockey coach Betty Wesner. Getting to this point, however, has required Kutztown to call upon many of its players to perform at a high level during crucial spots during the season.
Kutztown remains fifth in this week's Kookaburra/ National Field Hockey Coaches' Association (NFCHA) Division II top poll. This is the seventh consecutive week KU has been ranked in the top five.
One player bringing consistency to the Golden Bear frontline has been Abbey Sheeler (Fleetwood, PA/Brandywine Heights). KU will recognize its only senior on this year's team Saturday against winless Mercy College at University Field beginning at noon. Saturday, however, might as well be known as 'Sheeler Day', as Sheeler is the lone senior on the team. Sheeler co-leads the team with 10 goals this season, and has amounted 40 for her career.
Kutztown's other co-leader in goals this year is sophomore Jenna Gregory (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg). In just year second year on the team, Gregory leads the Golden Bears in assist (8) and total points (28). Gregory and Sheeler are both ranked 26th nationally in Division II scoring as well, averaging 0.59 goals per game. The chemistry between these two forwards has given Kutztown a strong balance in front of the net and has given Kutztown nothing but positive results on the offensive end.
KU has seen scoring from ten of its players this year. Freshman Jamie Koenig (Springtown, PA/Palisades) has emerged late into the season, as six of her eight goals have come in the last nine games. Koenig's top performance this year was when she scored two goals in Kutztown's 3-1 victory against Mansfield on Oct. 23.
The freshman class has seen increasing playing time with the team's success throughout the year. Koenig leads all freshmen in goals this season, followed by Erin Reynolds (York, PA/Central York) with five. Reynolds has also dished out seven assists. Samantha Carberry (Shrewsbury, PA/Susquehannock) also has three goals this season.
Kutztown will face Mansfield in its regular season finale on Tuesday, November 16th at University Field beginning at 4:00 p.m.
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