MANCHESTER, N.H. – Junior midfielder Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) regrouped after her initial shot was saved, then lifted the rebound over a sprawling goalie that hit netting to send the fourth-ranked and fifth-seeded Kutztown University field hockey team to a 1-0 victory (3-1 penalty shootout) over fifth-ranked and fourth-seeded Southern New Hampshire University Saturday afternoon in an NCAA First Round game in Manchester, N.H.
 
The Golden Bears (15-6 overall) won just their second NCAA postseason game in program history, first since 1988. They have also won their 15th game of the year, the most by a KU team in a single-season since 2007. Kutztown will now advance to the Final Four and play an NCAA semifinal game against top-seed West Chester on Friday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. at Millersville University. The other national semifinal is two-seed Saint Anselm and third-seed East Stroudsburg at 5 p.m.
 
It is the second shootout victory of the season for Kutztown, the first coming at home against No. 3 Millersville on Oct. 17. This is also the seventh win for KU over a ranked opponent in 2019, and the third win in a different state this year, as KU earned victories in the states of Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Hampshire.
 
After 80 minutes of back-and-forth play, primarily in each team's midfield, a scoreless game had to be decided one way, and a penalty shootout was the answer.
 
Senior captain Molly Bobjak (New Castle, Del./Padua Academy) won the coin toss and elected to shoot first. Momentum had, as both Kyra Wozniak (Plains, Pa./James M. Coughlin) and Bobjak connected on two of KU's first three attempts. Kerri Hanshaw (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) (six saves) saved the first three Penmen attempts, and only let the fourth slip by. In the final round of attempts, all Donato needed to do was score to send her team moving on. And Donato delivered.
 
"I was watching our other players before me and seeing what they did and what the goalie's tendencies were," said Donato. "I knew that I could take it to my right and have a good chance at beating her. Thankfully I was able to get the rebound and put it away. We're really excited to win this one."
 
Win and advance. That's the name of the game this time of year.