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WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Down 1-0 with the season on the line, Diana Malanga (Lavallette, N.J./St. Rose) found the corner of the net in the 87th minute to send the third-seeded Kutztown University women's soccer team into overtime against sixth seed California University (PA) on Friday in the first round of the Division II NCAA Championships from West Chester University's Rockwell Field. After two scoreless overtime periods, the Vulcans advanced to the next round with a 4-3 advantage in the penalty shootout.
 
California (12-4-5) tallied its lone-goal in the 30th minute of the first half on a shot from distance by Jordan Gray, which forced Kutztown (15-5-1) onto its heels for the second 45 minutes.
 
With less than 10 minutes to play and in need of a goal, the Golden Bears subbed out a defender to add extra strength to the front line. Mariah Dimm (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) offered relief up front and KU immediately earned a corner kick. As the senior has done all season, Dimm served a quality ball into the box off the corner. Logan Kramer (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor (Arkansas State)) went up with her mark but neither got a clean piece. The ball advanced on to Katie Jaxheimer (New Cumberland, Pa./Cedar Cliff), who directed it back to Malanga 10 yards out. Malanga hit it first touch and threaded the needle past a flurry of Cal defenders into the corner of the net.
 
"We were still getting forward and controlling a large part of the play in the second half, so we didn't want to push an extra attacker up too early and give up a counter," head coach Erik Burstein said. "So we waited pretty late to add an extra attacking player and Mariah served a great ball in off the corner at a clutch time."
 
The penalty shootout went down to the wire as all 10 shooters were required. Kramer, Sam Busillo (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove), and Dimm converted the first, third, and fifth penalties for KU to tie the count at 3-3 heading into the final shooter. Cal's Marissa Antrilli stepped up and hit the back of the net to clinch the shootout victory.
 
The Golden Bears went into the game with a focus on neutralizing Cal's dynamic duo of striker Chelsea Crockett and right wing Erin Hogan. With Busillo and Taylor Burt (Robesonia, Pa./Conrad Weiser) shadowing closely all game, the two were contained from connecting and creating for the full 90 minutes and only combined for one shot.
 
"It was the right decision and I think the girls did a great job with it, especially in the second half," Burstein said. "We had a better overall attitude in the second half, and I was very pleased with the girls executing what we asked them to do."
 
The Maroon and Gold certainly kept up the pressure the entire game and created multiple chances. KU outshot its opponents 17-6 and held a 9-1 advantage on corner kicks. Freshman goalie Deanna Messner (Willow Grove, Pa./Archbishop Wood) finished with two saves between the pipes, and concludes her rookie season with 15 wins.
 
Malanga worked the entire 90 minutes in the midfield, winning 50-50 battles through the air and on the ground, while capitalizing on the equalizer in the waning minutes of regulation. Busillo rifled a shot off the high end of the post in the 71st minute that could have easily changed the outcome of the game, while KU fed PSAC Athlete of the Year Sam Costello (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) early and often, but the senior striker was limited on open looks.
 
"Sam is going to draw attention from every single team we play; sometimes two, three, even four defenders at a time," Burstein said. "But she did a great job today and I was very pleased with the team's overall performance in the second half. I'm disappointed for this tremendous group of seniors, but they leave behind a legacy that will be felt well beyond their four years here."
 
Kutztown returns a core group of its squad next year with the potential to continue making postseason runs. With seven-straight winning seasons, the spring season will be a crucial time for some of the younger talent to develop into more prominent roles.