Box Score KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East co-champion Kutztown University women's basketball continued its magical run by defeating nationally-ranked (No. 21) California University (PA) 67-62 in the second of a PSAC semifinal double-header Saturday afternoon at Keystone Arena.
Many of the Golden Bears' (19-11 overall) players were not even playing high school or AAU basketball the last time that their program played in the conference semifinals (2010), and no other KU player before this current 2018-19 team has ever played in a PSAC championship game.
But this year's Kutztown team is different. These players have made their mark. And they have one more game to make history.
The PSAC East's top seed Kutztown will take on the West Division's top seed in Indiana (PA), who will enter with a 25-3 overall record after defeating the East's two seed Bloomsburg 85-57, in the day's opening semifinal game.
Four Maroon and Gold players reached double-figures on the day, led by leading scorer and All-PSAC East First Teamer
Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick), who finished with 23 points along with six rebounds. Senior point guard
Taylor Thames (Colmar, Pa./North Penn) tallied 12 points and four assists,
Brianna Tarabocchia (Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Northern Valley Regional (Saint Peter's)) recorded 11 points and two rebounds, and
Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) contributed 10 points, two rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
KU was ready for the big stage. It raced out to a double-digit lead early on, holding a 14-4 edge just 4:51 into the game. The Vulcans chipped away and trailed just 17-14 after the opening quarter, but once again Kutztown kept its foot on the gas and held a lead for the majority of the second quarter, until Cal tied it at 28-28 and then took the lead on a layup by leading scorer and PSAC West Athlete of the Year Seairra Barrett (31 points) to go into the locker rooms up 30-28.
Kutztown quickly regained its focus after halftime and after two ties, retook the lead at 34-32, a lead that KU would not relinquish for the remainder of the game, taking as much as a 10-point lead (46-36) in the third quarter.
The Vulcans kept it close throughout the fourth quarter and were within just a basket several possessions, but Kutztown wanted this game and proved it on both ends of the court.
Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) finished with nine points and six rebounds.
Kalee Fuegel (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) stuffed the stat sheet with two points, three rebounds, one assist and tied a career-high with six steals.
Kutztown will go for its first conference title in program history when it takes on IUP tomorrow, Sunday, March 10, at 2:05 p.m. at Keystone Arena.
