Kutztown University Athletics

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Breann Craley (York, Pa./Central York) and Jillian Buchman (Drums, Pa./Hazleton) put third-seeded Kutztown Field Hockey in front on two separate occasions as the Golden Bears took down sixth-seeded Pace University 2-1 Saturday night in an NCAA First Round game at Andre Reed Stadium.
 
The Golden Bears (17-3 overall) came out on top in the first ever meeting between the two teams with Buchman's fourth-quarter goal, on an assist by Mackenzie Kile (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood), breaking a 1-1 deadlock after the Setters (13-8) found the back of the cage 6:24 into the third quarter.
 
Craley's goal off a penalty corner came off a pass by Sarah Gatehouse (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) 4:37 into the second quarter. It was her eighth of the season, tying a team-high at the time. But Anne Kopec sent a pass into the box from the right side that found the stick of Noelle Meij, who slotted home a goal to tie the score.
 
In the final quarter, with the result hanging in balance, Kile found herself a few feet from the cage on the right side and slipped a pass right in front that Buchman placed past Celeste Pagliaroli for the game-winning goal, her seventh this season.
 
Kutztown finished with a 25-3 advantage in total shots and a 19-1 edge in corners. Mia Kepler (Wall Township, N.J./Wall) made one save for KU, while Pagliaroli had 18 saves.
 
Kutztown will now advance to the NCAA Semifinal Round where it will take on the number two seed, Shippensburg, next Friday, Nov. 17, at Grappone Stadium in Manchester, N.H., at 5 p.m. The other semifinal will be between the top seed, East Stroudsburg and the fifth seed, Assumption at 2 p.m. The championship game will be that Sunday.

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