KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- After a 2022 regular season of highs and lows, the Kutztown University women's soccer team (9-4-4, 8-4-4 PSAC East) battled its way to the third seed in this year's edition of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament. The Golden Bears have been matched against the second-seeded Bloomsburg Huskies (13-3-2, 11-3-2 PSAC East) and will travel to Steph Pettit Stadium Tuesday night for their quarterfinal matchup. The game will kick off at 6 p.m.
This is the second-straight year that Erik Burstein's Golden Bears have qualified for the big dance after missing out in the 2019 season. Burstein has now led KU to the PSAC Tournament 13 times in his 15 seasons at the helm of the Golden Bears. In those appearances, KU has made four trips to the championship game (2009, 2011, 2014, 2016) and reached the semifinals six times (2009-11, 2014, 2016-17).
The Golden Bears are looking to get over the hump of the PSAC quarterfinal, which is something they have not done since the 2017 season. Last year, KU entered the tournament as the first seed after winning the PSAC East, but fell to Millersville in penalties at home. The Golden Bears are also looking to capture their tenth win of the season, something they have done for 19 straight seasons.
Bloomsburg enters the game unbeaten in its last seven games and with one of the best defenses in the country. The Huskies bested KU in both contests this season by the same 1-0 scoreline. Their defensive unit sits third in the nation in goals against average (.353.) and first in the nation in shutout percentage (.765), only allowing seven goals in 18 games this season.
KU matches strength-to-strength with Bloomsburg, boasting a defense that has only allowed 13 goals all season, which is currently the third-lowest total in school history. In the two regular season matchups, the teams combined for only 11 shots on goal over the two games. Senior Kylee MacLeod (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) has anchored the backline, starting in all 17 games this season, along with Dana Wentz (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) and Bridget Curtis (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South). Emme Wolfel (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown) has started in goal all 17 games as well, ranking fifth in the PSAC with six shutouts.
The Golden Bears' offense this season has run through midfield dynamo, graduate student Kayla Argen (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East). Argen's final season in a Golden Bear uniform has been one of her best yet as she leads the PSAC in assists with eight, which is also a career-high, and leads the team in goals with seven.
Isabella Rossetti (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) sits right behind Argen on the goal-scoring charts, scoring six this season, including a brace against Lock Haven on Sept. 28. The player in form for the Golden Bears as of late has been midfielder Sadie Goad (Reading, Pa./Schuylkill Valley). The Reading, Pa. native ended the season with three goals in the final two games and has become an impactful piece on the offensive side of the field.
Newcomers have also played a big part in the Golden Bear's success this season. True freshman Caroline McDonald (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) burst onto the scene in the early part of the campaign, scoring three goals in the first five games. Temple transfer Lexy Endres (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) has also been a key piece for KU when she's on the field, contributing nine points in her 13 appearances.
The winner of Tuesday's quarterfinal will play the winner of Gannon and Seton Hill out of the west. That game will take place on Friday, Nov.4 at the highest seed remaining out of the PSAC West. The championship game would then be at that same site on Sunday, Nov. 6.
