MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – Kutztown University and Millersville University possess two of the top field hockey programs in Division II. Millersville, the top-ranked team in the country and defending NCAA National Champions, proved it is not ready to pass over the torch as it defeated the fourth-ranked Golden Bears 4-1 on Wednesday on its home turf at Biemesderfer Stadium.
 
Millersville scored late in the first half and three times within a six-minute period in the middle of the second half to hold a 4-0 advantage. The Golden Bear hit the scoreboard on a final, untimed corner at the end of regulation, when Rayann Fink (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood) found Micaela Beaty (Drexel Hill, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast) for her first goal of the year.
 
The setback was Kutztown's first in nearly a month. KU took an eight-game winning streak to Millersville on Wednesday, the third-longest active streak in Division II and second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC); but for a team that has already qualified for the postseason, a temporary setback now is always better than in the playoffs.
 
With the low scoring output, Anna Behm (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown)'s school-record scoring streak came to a close at 10 games. She entered Wednesday as Division II's leading scorer and points-leader.
 
Millersville held a 23-4 advantage in shots and a lopsided 24-4 in penalty corners, including 16 in the first half. Aliza Mizak and Olivia Hershey each scored twice for the top-ranked Marauders.
 
Kutztown stands in third place in the PSAC. It has already clinched a top-six spot to seal its first playoff berth since 2009, but still has a chance to earn a top-two seed and a bye in the playoffs.
 
KU closes PSAC play with a matchup with the other top-ranked team in the country, East Stroudsburg University, at home on Saturday, Oct. 24 under the lights at 7 p.m. KU defeated ESU on the road 1-0 earlier this year in a non-conference game.