SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – The 21st-ranked Kutztown University women's basketball team was able to erase the taste of defeat in a big way Saturday as KU left the state and earned an important road victory, 68-59, the 20th of the season, at Shepherd in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division game.
 
The Golden Bears (20-5 overall, 13-3 PSAC) bounced back after a 63-60 setback at Millersville last Wednesday, Feb. 9, their first defeat in their previous five games. The 20 victories this season is tied for second-most in program history, as both the 2008-09 team and 1995-96 teams under current head coach Janet Malouf also finished with 20 wins. Only the 1999-00 team finished with more, 21.
 
It was a matchup of two of the top three teams in the East, and the second time this season Kutztown came out on top.
 
After the opening 1:10, the Maroon and Gold found their groove and had a blazing rest of the first quarter, which carried over into the second. The Rams (18-5, 12-5) scored the game's first four points and connected on their first two shots. But from that point, KU scored 22 of the next 30 points over the final 8:50 of the opening frame and led 22-12 after one. Four different players scored that quarter and KU connected on two 3-pointers to help build its advantage.
 
Kutztown shot 52.9% (9-for-17) from long distance, fourth-most three's in a game this season and the highest percentage in a game. KU took its largest lead of the first half, 30-16, after a corner 3-pointer from Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) with 4:16 until halftime. The teams went to the locker rooms with the Golden Bears leading 33-20.
 
Shepherd made a run at cutting its deficit in the third quarter. Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) connected from distance to put KU up 43-22 with 7:15 on the clock, but the Rams went on a 19-6 run to end the quarter and trailed 49-41 heading to the fourth.
 
Kutztown scored the first seven points of the fourth to go back on top by double figures and Shepherd never got closer than 10 the rest of the quarter until a 3-pointer as time expired gave the final tally.
 
Derr led all scorers with 17 points and added six rebounds. Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) recorded her first career double-double, finishing with 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, while adding three blocks and three assists. Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) tallied nine points and four rebounds and both Bella Arcuri (Fallsington, Pa./Pennsbury) and Pulliam had eight points. Annie Whalen (Ivyland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) contributed six points for KU.
 
Kutztown has a quick turnaround and will play a makeup game against Millersville, looking to amass some revenge, Monday, Feb. 14, at 5:30 p.m., from Keystone Arena.

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