KUTZTOWN, Pa. (October 18, 2011) – Heading into its final week of the regular season, the Kutztown University field hockey team remains eighth in the Kookaburra / National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) top poll released Tuesday afternoon.  (COMPLETE RANKINGS)
 
The Golden Bears (10-6 overall, 4-4 PSAC East) have been ranked in the NFHCA national poll all season and look ahead to a crucial pair of conference games this week.  KU currently sits in third in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division behind first-place Bloomsburg and second-place West Chester.  The top three teams from each division move onto the PSAC playoffs. 
 
KU will surely be tested this week as its final two games of the regular season are against the top two divisional teams.  The Golden Bears will host Bloomsburg on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at University Field beginning at 7 p.m. and will travel to West Chester on Friday, Oct. 21 to take on the Golden Rams beginning at 7 p.m.
 
Wednesday's field hockey game between the Golden Bears and PSAC rival Bloomsburg will air live on local cable television and worldwide on the internet by CLICKING HERE.   Coverage from University Field will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Service Electric Cable channel 24 in Kutztown and eastern Berks County and worldwide on the internet at kubears.com.   The game can also be seen on Hometown Utilicom TV Channel 28 in Kutztown.   Be sure to tune in for all the action.
 
KU's final home game of the season against Bloomsburg on Wednesday marks Senior Day for three Golden Bears.  Forward Kim Angstadt (Oley, PA/Oley Valley), goalkeeper Emily Falko (Catasauqua, PA/Catasauqua) and forward Julie Rosenkaimer (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) will all be honored before Wednesday's game for their last game at University Field. 
 
In Kutztown's latest win on Monday against Mansfield, it achieved double-digit victories for the eighth consecutive year under head field hockey coach Betty Wesner.  KU also secured a winning record for the fifth straight season.
 
Falko has done a tremendous job in net for KU.  She holds a 7-2 record and recorded the second shutout of her career earlier this season in KU's 2-0 win against Millersville.  Falko is fifth in Division II in save percentage (.782) and leads KU with 70 saves.
 
Junior Emily Labowitz (Bala Cynwyd, PA/Lower Merion) leads the Golden Bears with 11 goals this season.  She has scored in three of KU's last five matches and ranks 25th in Division II in goals per game (0.67).  Additionally, Labowitz and fellow forward Jamie Koenig (Springtown, PA/Palisades) have each been honored for their outstanding play earlier this season by womensfieldhockey.com (Labowitz, Sept. 20/Koenig, Sept. 12).
 
Koenig has eight goals for KU in her sophomore season.  She has two multi-goal games this season with her latest coming this past weekend in the Golden Bears' clutch 3-2 victory over C.W. Post.  The Pioneers are fourth in the East at 3-5.
 
Jenna Gregory (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) is second on the team in goals with nine.  She also leads the Golden Bears and is 20th in Division II with six assists.    
 
Kutztown enters its final games having suffered setbacks in its previous encounters.  KU dropped a 6-1 decision to Bloomsburg on Oct. 13, and fell to West Chester in overtime, 2-1, at University Field on Oct. 5.
 
Bloomsburg (15-0, 8-0) comes to University Field hoping to keep its perfect season intact.  It is ranked atop the national rankings and has been led Amanda Riley and Jenna DiSabatino with 11 goals apiece this season.  Brooke Simonovich has also contributed nine goals. 
 
West Chester (12-3, 6-2) enters its matchup with KU ranked third in the national poll.  The Golden Rams have seen strong play from Nicole Fiorilla and Kayla Gluchowski this season. They have each scored 12 goals this season.
 
If Kutztown can match these two programs' top play and come away with a pair of victories, it would match its win total from last season at 12.