KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Sophomore goalie Jenna Blesson (Sparta, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional) made two massive saves on Genevieve Speights in the final minute and the Golden Bear defense put together a stellar second half as Kutztown earned its first win of the season, 12-11, over PSAC East rival Millersville Tuesday afternoon at Keystone Field.

The Maroon and Gold desperately needed a victory after two hard-fought losses at home and another on the road at Bloomsburg last Saturday.

They did it through grit and determination in their own end.

Millersville (1-4, 1-1 PSAC East) struggled to solve the Bears' defensive barrier of Sydnie Bisesi (Denton, Md./North Caroline), Kaily Crystle (Springfield, Pa./Springfield), Devon Fitzpatrick (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) and Brooke-Lynn Grim (Abbottstown, Pa./New Oxford). KU's midfielders also played a responsible game in their own end and Blesson stepped up late. The Golden Bears held the Marauders to three second-half goals and just one over the final 18:53.

Protecting a one-goal edge in the final minute, Blesson stopped a shot from a cutting Speights right in front of the cage, but a foul on the follow through from the Bears set Speights up with a free position attempt seconds later. Blesson denied that, too, and Kutztown would go on to run out the final 40 seconds.

The late heroics were possible because the team pushed through a slow start that saw them cede five of the first six goals and got stronger in all facets as the game wore on.

Kutztown (1-3, 1-2 PSAC East) methodically worked its way back from the early deficit with three goals from Cyrose Conteh (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown), two by Morgan Hurd (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) and another from Robin Spector (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional). Though they never got the game tied before the break, the Golden Bears got some extra juice from Cyla Cafferata's (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) free position goal with 1.4 seconds left that made it 8-7.

Hurd completed her hat trick on KU's opening possession of the second half, finishing off a pass from Emma Meakim (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland). Just over a minute later, following an Alexis Sigillo (Valley Cottage, N.Y./Nyack) forced turnover, Allie McCormick (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) cashed in with help from Hurd to give Kutztown its first lead of the day, 9-8, with 27:26 remaining.

Neither team found much in the way of offense the rest of the way. Millersville would tie it at nine, then again at 10 after Meakim had countered for KU. The visitors took their final lead on Sara Burney's fifth goal of the afternoon, a free position attempt with 14:34 to go.

Conteh scored her fourth of the game to even the score at 11 with 8:17 left and Sigillo netted the eventual game-winner on a free position with exactly five minutes to go.

Conteh and Hurd (three goals, assist) led the Bears' offense with four points apiece, while McCormick had three (goal, two assists). Fitzpatrick and Meakim each registered four draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover. Grim caused a team high three turnovers, with Shannon Lake (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) and Blesson totaling a team-high four ground balls.

Burney paced all players with seven points (five goals, two assists). The Marauders, who outshot KU 28-22, also got three points (two goals, assist) from Gillian Zimmerman, two goals from Speights and two assists from Calie Swegon.

Kutztown goes for two straight when it hosts Shippensburg Saturday at 1 p.m.