KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Each game provides a chance to improve, an opportunity to lay the foundation for success. Kutztown University women's lacrosse showed the strides it has taken this year with an impressive opening 15-minute stretch against 11th-ranked East Stroudsburg on Wednesday afternoon at Andre Reed Stadium.

Eventually, the offensive prowess of 40-goal scorer Krista Mitarotonda, playmaker Shannon Dent and a few others helped the Warriors to an 18-6 PSAC victory over the Golden Bears.

While the result is ultimately not what the Maroon and Gold envisioned, there were positives to be taken. KU fell behind 2-0 less than four minutes in on goals 33 seconds apart from Hana Circerelle and Dent, but answered with markers from Devon Fitzpatrick (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) and Erin Vaughan Ware (Seaford, N.Y./MacArthur) to tie it.

Makayla Bowman (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) dodged a defender and ripped a shot by ESU (7-1 PSAC, 10-3) goalie Tatyana Petteway to even the score at three, before Cyla Cafferata (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) found the back of the net with 19:41 left in the first half to give the Golden Bears the lead.

Cafferata's second of the game, on a free position, knotted the game at five at the 15:06 mark, but the Warriors took over from there. Mitarotonda scored all four of her goals in running her season total to 46 as East Stroudsburg ended the half on an 8-0 run to lead 13-5.

TJ Jefferis had a goal and Emma Rufolo chipped in a pair during the early stages of the second half as ESU made it 11 unanswered goals.

Kutztown (4-4, 5-6) got a second-half goal from Emily Smith (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Hubert Catholic), but could not overcome ESU's heavy possession numbers from a 20-6 advantage in draws to threaten with a comeback.

The Warriors outshot KU 43-17, were successful on 19-of-21 clears and 5-of-12 free positions. Mitarotonda and Rufolo each had four goals, Jefferis three, and Dent and Cassidy McKenna two for ESU. Rufolo also won a game-high seven draws, while Mitarotonda snagged six.

Cafferata recorded three points (two goals, assist) and Smith moved into a tie for second-place with Marisa Kalodner (2011-13) on KU's all-time caused turnovers list with the 83rd of her career.

Megan Vaughan (Prince Frederick, Md./Southern) stopped four shots in each half to finish with eight for KU. Petteway made five of her seven saves in the second half, while Michelle Dyck stopped two in relief over the final 5:30.

Kutztown hosts Lock Haven in another PSAC tilt on Saturday at 1 p.m.