ERIE, Pa. -- The No. 7 Kutztown University women's soccer team found its scoring touch at the right time, downing No. 2 Frostburg State 3-0 in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at Penn State Behrend. The game was originally set to be played at the McConnell Family Stadium at Gannon University, but heavy rain and flooding forced the game to be moved.
Kayla Argen (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) was the star of the show for KU, notching a goal and two assists in the victory. Her 10 assists are tied for the second-most by a Golden Bear in a single season, tying Tanya Woods in the 1992 season. She also moves into fifth all-time in career points in program history with 75.
Isabella Rossetti (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) and Becca Delp (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) were the other goal scores for the Golden Bears (10-5-4) in the game, while Caroline McDonald (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) registered the assist on Argen's goal. Emme Wolfel (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown) came up with some massive moments in between the sticks for KU, making four saves and registering her seventh shutout of the season.
The Golden Bears captured the program's fifth win all-time in the NCAA Tournament and first since the 2016 national quarterfinals. It also marks KU's first postseason win since the 2017 PSAC Tournament. The Maroon and Gold have now won at least 10 games in 20 consecutive seasons.
The game was a relatively wide-open affair, with the Bobcats holding a slim 13-12 shot advantage. Despite that, KU was more clinical in its finishing, generating a lot of goal-scoring opportunities from the wing positions. McDonald, along with the likes of Dana Wentz (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley), Sadie Goad (Reading, Pa./Schuylkill Valley), and Lexy Endres (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) was able to constantly get the ball into dangerous scoring areas.
KU's first goal came in the 25th minute. Argen picked up the ball on the edge of the box and lofted a cross towards the back post, which found the head of Rossetti for her seventh goal of the season and the 1-0 lead. The back-breaking goal for FSU (18-2-2) came right before halftime when a cross from McDonald deflected off a Bobcat defender to the foot of Argen, who calmly directed it home for the 2-0 lead before the half.
The icing on the cake for the Golden Bears came in the 61st minute. Argen floated in a corner kick that caused chaos in the Bobcat's box. A bunch of bodies were close to the ball, but Delp was able to get her foot on it and put it barely over the line to make it 3-0. It was the second goal of the season and career for Delp. Frostburg State pushed to get back into the game, but the Kutztown defense held firm and closed out the 3-0 victory.
The win is massive for Erik Burstein's squad, who finally got over the hump and secured a postseason victory for the first time in five years. KU will play the winner of No. 3 Gannon and No. 6 Fairmont State on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 3 p.m. at Gannon University with the chance to advance to the Sweet 16.
