KUTZTOWN, Pa- The 12th-ranked Kutztown University women's soccer team (4-0-1, 3-0-1 PSAC) exploded for five goals in a dominating shutout victory over Mansfield (1-3-1, 0-3-1 PSAC) in hot conditions at Keystone Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Bears scored three goals in a 10-minute span halfway through the first half before a second-half brace from graduate student midfielder Kayla Argen (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) sealed the deal for KU. Kutztown outshot Mansfield 20-1 in the contest as the defense registered its fourth clean sheet in the first five games of the season. 25 Golden Bears saw action in the game for Erik Burstein.
Kutztown started out on the front foot, dominating possession and putting the Mounties' goal under pressure. The first goal came for Maroon and Gold in the 16th minute, when a whipped-in ball from Argen off a corner found the head of Isabella Rossetti (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) at the top of the six-yard box. The junior headed the ball home for the 1-0 lead.
Five minutes later, the Golden Bears earned another corner kick. Lexy Endres (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) put a ball directly on the frame and it found its way through the hands of the Mansfield keeper for the 2-0 lead. Caroline McDonald (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) extend the lead four minutes later with a rocket from outside the box to make it 3-0 before halftime.
One minute after the break, a Golden Bear attacker was cut down in the area for the penalty, which was calmly slotted home by Argen for the 4-0 lead. Argen found the scoresheet again in the 64th minute when a corner kick similar to Endres's in the first half found the back of the net directly from the corner for the 5-0 lead. KU continued to shut the Mounties down as it held on for the 5-0 win.
The win was big for the Maroon and Gold, who struggled offensively in the last two PSAC contests. The Golden Bears have now won 19-straight games against Mansfield.
KU looks to get a win streak going as the Golden Bears travel to Bloomsburg this Wednesday, Sept. 14. That game will kick off at 7 p.m.
