VIDEO: Interviews w/ Staley & Oren
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The first-ranked Kutztown University women's soccer team enjoyed an exciting start to the week. The Golden Bears reached the pinnacle of Division II, voted No. 1 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Division II Week 5 Poll released Tuesday, Oct. 3.
This is the first time that KU women's soccer has been ranked No. 1 in the nation. It becomes 1-of-3 KU programs to be ranked No. 1 - joining 2007 baseball and 2007 field hockey.
Kutztown (10-0 overall, 8-0 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) will put its No. 1 ranking to the test for the first time when it takes on Clarion University on Sunday, Oct. 8, at Keystone Field at 12 p.m. The Golden Bears have had about a week off since their last game, a 4-2 victory over Mercyhurst University last Saturday, Sept. 30.
The 10 consecutive wins to open up the season is the most ever for the program.
The Golden Eagles (6-4-3, 5-3-3) are unbeaten in their last five games, coming off a 1-1 tie against Edinboro University last Wednesday.
Two days later, Kutztown will host Shippensburg University on Tuesday, Oct 10, at Keystone Field at 3 p.m. The Raiders (2-8-1, 1-8) have struggled of late, as they sit on a current five-game losing streak.
KU leads the conference in goals scored (31) and assists (23). There have been 10 different players record goals, led by sophomore forward
Emily Zwiercan (Reinholds, Pa./Cocalico), who has nine. Zwiercan leads the conference in goals scored, followed closely by sophomore
Maddie Mohr (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown Area) with eight.
The Golden Bears defense has allowed just six goals, which ties them for second in the league. They have recorded six shutouts, including five to begin the season.
Goalies
Jenna Bracken (Wanaque, N.J./Lakeland Regional),
Imani Taylor (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) and
McKenna Zerbe (Mountville, Pa./Hempfield) all have at least two wins and one shutout on the season. Bracken (6-0) is second in the league in goals-against-average (.667) and save percentage (.875) and has three shutouts while in goal.
Kutztown is tied atop the PSAC standings with East Stroudsburg University (8-2-1, 8-2) at 24 points. KU has two games in hand.
