KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The fourth-ranked Kutztown University field hockey team fell to top-ranked East Stroudsburg University on Saturday night, 2-1, in a thrilling showdown between two of the top teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and in the NCAA at Andre Reed Stadium.
East Stroudsburg (13-3, 8-1 PSAC) got on the board first on a goal by Ally Roth off a corner at the 38:21 mark following a scoreless opening half. Rebecca Snyder was credited with the assist on the play.
Kutztown (12-5, 7-3) evened up the score at 1-1 at the 44:35 mark on a penalty stroke goal by sophomore
Morgan Aldinger (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen). Chaos ensued after the referees were made aware that Kutztown may have had an illegal substitution during the play. After a 10-minute delay to sort out the confusion, KU's goal was upheld and play resumed.
East Stroudsburg struck again at the 66:39 mark in the second half to give the Warriors a 2-1 lead that would not be relinquished. Roth scored her second goal of the game and 16th of the season on another assist from Snyder off a corner.
Kayla Denlinger (Manheim, Pa./Hempfield) played well in goal for Kutztown, compiling 11 saves in the contest. It was her fourth game of the season with double-digit saves.
Rayann Fink (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood) recorded her team-leading sixth defensive save of the season.
Kutztown was outshot by the Warriors 21-7 in the game and East Stroudsburg had 10 corners compared to two for the Golden Bears.
KU currently sits in third place in the PSAC standings at 7-3, behind Millersville and East Stroudsburg. Kutztown can secure an opening round home game in the PSAC playoffs if it finishes in third or fourth in the conference.
The Golden Bears have finished their conference games, so they will have to wait on the results of games next week that will determine their playoff fate. West Chester and Shippensburg are both 6-3 in the conference and are vying for PSAC home playoff games as well.
Kutztown's regular-season finale is on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The Golden Bears will then compete in the opening round of the PSAC playoffs on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at a site and time to be determined.
