Photo Gallery | VIDEO: Stewart Goal | Ueberroth Goal
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Saturday will be a memorable day for the Kutztown University field hockey team. Not only did the ninth-ranked Golden Bears look sharp in a 2-0 win over Saint Anselm on their home turf at Andre Reed Stadium, senior captain
Courtney Ueberroth (Stevens, Pa./Cocalico) scored on a day that holds strong significance to her and her family.
Five years ago in 2011, the Ueberroth family lost a husband and a father. Courtney and her three siblings unexpectedly lost their father on that fateful day. Her older brother, Kyle, was in the midst of competing with the Golden Bear football team in Massachusetts at the time – coincidentally, being part of a KU victory over Saint Anselm, the same as Courtney on Saturday.
While losing a parent at such a young ago can leave a scar that could never be healed, Ueberroth's Golden Bear family gave her a celebratory experience to remember on Saturday.
If a special song played pre-game that Courtney and her father shared wasn't enough, her second-half goal to give KU a 2-0 lead brought out excitement up and down the sidelines and into the stands.
Fellow senior
Megan Tiwold (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) hooked Ueberroth up with the assist on the insurance goal. After a scoreless first half, junior
Madison Stewart (New Castle, Del./William Penn) gave KU the lead shortly after the break on an impressive solo-effort to the right side of the cage. Stewart was KU's most active attacker Saturday, putting six of her game-high eight shots on-goal.
As good as the KU offense was with a 17-12 lead in shots, the defense stood its ground all game to open the season with a shutout. The backline of
Jessica Strohecker (Landisburg, Pa./West Perry),
Morgan Aldinger (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) and
Mackenzie Fuhrman (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) were aggressive and forced multiple takeaways from the Hawks (0-1).
Goalkeeper
Chardonnay Hope (New Castle, Del./William Penn) captained the defensive effort with her first career shutout. She made a career-high 10 saves – all in her first career start as a team captain.
Kutztown remains at Andre Reed Stadium for a special holiday game on Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 5. Action against Assumption College begins at 12 p.m.
