SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Kutztown University lacrosse team won its fifth-straight game to open the season, downing Shippensburg University 12-7 in its opening Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) game Tuesday at Robb Sports Stadium.

The 5-0 mark is the best start to a season since KU reestablished its lacrosse program in 2008. The win is also the first over Shippensburg since its reestablishment as well.

The Golden Bears (5-0, 1-0 PSAC) got four goals from Makayla Bowman (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) and three apiece from Sarah Gabriele (Felton, Pa./York Catholic) and Madison Carlucci (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) in the victory.

Kutztown jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first half. Carlucci scored her first goal just 43 seconds into the game and the Golden Bears wouldn't look back for the rest of the afternoon. Carlucci scored again less than 10 minutes later to make it 2-0. Bowman then scored her first with a little more than eleven minutes left in the first to make it 3-0. Shippensburg answered with a goal of its own a little more than a minute later, but Kutztown responded with goals from Marlucci and Emily Smith (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Hubert Catholic) to take a 5-1 lead into the break.

Shippensburg started out the second strong with two unanswered goals to cut the deficit to 5-3 before Kutztown scored seven of the match's next eight goals to take a commanding 12-4 lead with 7:07 left in the game. Shippensburg's rally was too late, and Kutztown held on to win 12-7.

Lauren Huggins (Media, Pa./Penncrest) finished with one goal and tied a career-high with three assists for Kutztown. To go with her scoring, Gabriele also added two assists. Haley Romoser (Stewartstown, Pa./Kennard-Dale) led the way on defense, finishing with four groundballs and two draw controls. Courtney O'Neill (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) and Reilly Donovan (Bel Air, Md./Patterson Mill) each had three groundballs as well. Amanda Lehman (York, Pa./West York Area) caused two turnovers.

Jen Bergey (Souderton, Pa./Souderton) made 12 saves to pick up her fourth victory of the year.

Shippensburg (3-2, 0-1 PSAC) used a balance scoring attack, with seven different players scoring goals.

Kutztown returns home to take on Lock Haven University in a PSAC game Thursday, March 17 at 4 p.m.