KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The 15th-ranked Kutztown University football team could not shake off a tough second quarter and fell one game short of competing for its second ever Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship, falling 38-21 to 12th-ranked West Chester University on a damp and chilly senior day Saturday afternoon at Andre Reed Stadium.
 
In a matchup of top-15 nationally-ranked teams, the excitement did not disappoint. Both teams also entered the game ranked in the NCAA Division II Super Region One poll, with KU voted second and WCU sixth.
 
The Golden Bears (7-1 overall, 4-1 PSAC East Division) held their first lead of the game at 13-10 with 13:17 left in the second quarter. But a couple of turnovers led to the Golden Rams (8-0, 5-0) taking back the lead for good late in the second quarter.
 
After an 11-yard touchdown catch by Mason McElroy (Reading, Pa./Wilson) from Collin DiGalbo (Secane, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) to give Kutztown the 13-10 lead, the KU defense forced two straight three-and-outs.
 
But when the Maroon and Gold started their drive at the 9:12 mark in the second quarter, the game took a turn.
 
Two fumbles in back-to-back drives led to two Golden Rams touchdowns and a 24-13 lead at halftime.
 
DiGalbo then led a 14-play, 73-yard drive that was capped with his milestone one-yard touchdown run. He then found Amadou Barry (Upper Darby, Pa./West Catholic Prep) for the two-point conversion and KU trailed by just three, 24-21, with 11:00 remaining in the third. Barry had three catches for 42 yards.
 
With his third quarter touchdown run, DiGalbo became the program's all-time leader in career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 20. He finished the game with 179 passing yards and two touchdowns.
 
West Chester scored touchdowns on its next two possessions to take a 17-point lead, 38-21, with 1:39 to go in the third. Neither team could muster up any points in the fourth and final quarter.
 
Diego Torres (York, Pa./West York Area) caught a 46-yard touchdown pass on Kutztown's second possession of the game, and led all KU receivers with 55 yards receiving.
 
Shawn Turber-Ortiz (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) led a trio of KU defenders that totaled at least eight tackles. He finished with 10 tackles and a forced fumble, Luke Snyder (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury) tallied nine tackles and Ahkee Cox-Cowan (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) had eight. Dave Calderon (Willingboro, N.J./Neptune (New Haven)) recorded six tackles and one sack.
 
Kutztown will look to regroup when it takes on Millersville University on the road next Saturday, Nov. 3 at 4 p.m.