WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's basketball team brought one of its best teams in a decade to Hollinger Field House Wednesday night, but the Golden Bears were unable to topple division champion West Chester University and its now-18-game winning streak in a 81-72 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Quarterfinal loss.
 
While the short-term heartbreak of Wednesday night's loss will take time to shake, the Golden Bears made tremendous strides with a five-win improvement and a playoff victory this season. With the heart of KU returning next season, the groundwork and blueprint for future success has been set.
 
Kutztown worked through the final horn Wednesday night. KU outscored West Chester in the second half by 13, ended the game on a 16-6 run, but a rough-shooting first half proved too large to overcome against one of the best teams in the region.
 
Shooting woes plagued the Golden Bears in the first half to the tune of a 44-22 deficit. KU shot 25 percent in the first half, four of KU's seven baskets were 3-pointers, but the added missed shots gave West Chester a +12 rebounding advantage at half with eight more field goals. Both teams combined for 12 3-pointers in the first half, seven of which belonged to West Chester.
 
Kutztown shot 60 percent in the third quarter and was +7 in scoring to cut the deficit to 12, the closest for KU since the first quarter. KU drew within single digits late in the fourth quarter, but West Chester made its free throws down the stretch for its 18th straight win.
 
Kutztown, the best 3-point shooting team in the PSAC East, worked for open looks all night. KU shot 9-for-27 from deep, 33.3 percent.
 
Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) scored a team-high 17 points, capping her freshman season at 409 points, the first KU freshman to score 400 in a season. She made four 3-pointers on the night, pushing her KU freshman record to 86 this season, second-most in school history and one off the record.
 
Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) scored 10 points, her seventh 10+ scoring game in the final 10 games.
 
Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) and Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) combined for 21 points (11,10) to round out KU's four double-digit scorers.
 
The Golden Bears close 2018 at 18-12, their most wins since 2010. It marked KU's eighth playoff appearance in the last 10 years, highlighted by KU's first playoff win since 2015 Monday night. KU won a school-record 13 home game at Keystone Arena.
 
Senior Keifonna Ferguson (Norristown, Pa./Norristown Area) closes her career as the most seasoned Golden Bear on the squad. In 90 career games, she scored 449 points with 508 rebounds, including 89 offensive rebounds this season as one of the league's best.
 
Kalee Fuegel (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) started her final game in the Maroon and Gold Wednesday night, her 58th career game. In nearly 1,000 minutes of action, she finished her career with 174 points.
 
Kutztown returns 12 players for next season.