EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Trailing 2-0 in the second half, the No. 7 Kutztown University field hockey team battled back, scoring twice with under 20:00 to go. But No. 1 East Stroudsburg University got what proved to be the game-winner a little less than five minutes later to win the non-conference game 3-2 Tuesday afternoon at Whitenight Field.
 
For the third straight time they've met, both teams were ranked, with the Warriors (5-0 overall) ranked No. 1.  Last year, the Golden Bears (4-1) lost to ESU 2-0, and in 2015 they fell 2-1.
 
It was 2-0 after the first half on Tuesday.
 
It took the teams a while to get anything going offensively. The first shot didn't come until there was 11:40 off the clock, and it ended up wide. The first one to go on goal was by ESU, and senior goalie Chardonnay Hope (New Castle, Del./William Penn) made the save.
 
But once the Warriors got into a rhythm, they found success on the offensive end of the field.
 
After a whistle for a foul, Kristen English quickly took the restart and found Hannah Caplan standing in front of the cage to rip home the game's first goal.
 
Five-and-a-half minutes later, East Stroudsburg was awarded a corner. Amanda Crampton settled the initial pass, took a few quick dribbles and laid off a pass to Sydney McCarthy. McCarthy hit a shot that flew right past some KU defenders and Hope and landed in the back of the net for a two-goal cushion heading into halftime.
 
East Stroudsburg had a 6-2 shots advantage in the first 35 minutes, and 11-6 in total.
 
Head coach Marci Scheuing made some adjustments and fired up her team, and they responded.
 
Almost as quickly as the players came back onto the field and the second half whistle blew, the Maroon and Gold were on the scoreboard.
 
Sophomore Kyra Wozniak (Plains, Pa./James M. Coughlin) dribbled down field and shielded off her defender until she was able to sneak a shot past Halle Frisco for Kutztown's first goal. It was her team-leading fourth goal of the season.
 
With the momentum now on their side, the Golden Bears pushed forward.
 
Freshman Trinity Ponton (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing Area) was flying around the field all game. Her swift dribbling through the ESU defense allowed her put a strong cross into the box. Senior Courtney Konowal (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) was right in position to knock home the tying goal.
 
But just as they did with their second goal of the first half, the Warriors put together a play off a corner that led to an open shot from close range.
 
McCarthy tallied her second goal when she slotted home a shot from the left corner after the ball was kicked around in front of Hope (2 saves). That proved to be the game-winner, as ESU held possession for a majority of the final 15 minutes of action.
 
Kutztown remains on the road for their next game Saturday, Sept. 16 at IUP at 5 p.m.