MANCHESTER, N.H. – No. 3 and third-seeded Kutztown field hockey and No. 2 and second-seeded Shippensburg know each other all too well at this point. The two teams meet for the third time in 2023, this chapter is in the NCAA Division II National Semifinals on Friday, Nov. 17, at 5 p.m., from Grappone Stadium in Manchester, N.H., on the campus of Saint Anselm.
 
Information on the game, including how to follow (stats/video), tickets and the championship central page are linked above.
 
The Golden Bears (17-3 overall) and Raiders (15-4) last met in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference semifinal round earlier this month on Nov. 3, with Shippensburg scoring the lone goal, a golden goal, in the first overtime period to win 1-0 and advance to the final. In the lone regular season meeting back on Oct. 10, the Raiders broke a 2-2 tie at halftime with a third quarter goal and held on for another one-goal win, winning 3-2. Grace Harrold (York, Pa./Central York) and Mackenzie Kile (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) scored the goals for KU.
 
It is the first appearance at NCAAs since 2019 for the Maroon and Gold, when they also reached the Final Four, and the seventh time KU has competed in NCAAs. Kutztown is 3-6 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. In the last appearance in 2019, KU was the fifth seed and defeated the fourth seed, Southern New Hampshire in a penalty shootout. The Golden Bears fell to eventual champion, West Chester, 2-0, in the semifinals. They also recorded victories in the First Round in 1988 and the First Round in 1982.
 
Kutztown reached the final four by defeating Pace 2-1 in the First Round last Saturday, Nov. 11, in the first ever NCAA Tournament game at Andre Reed Stadium. Breann Craley (York, Pa./Central York) and Jillian Buchman (Drums, Pa./Hazleton) netted goals for KU and Mia Kepler (Wall Township, N.J./Wall) helped her team hold onto the lead for the victory.
 
The Golden Bears enter Friday as the PSAC and NCAA leaders in goals allowed, giving up just nine all season. They also lead DII in shutouts, holding their opposition without a goal 14 times, five more than any other school in the nation, a program-record for shutouts in a season.
 
The winner of this game will take on the winner of the other semifinal between No. 1 East Stroudsburg and No. 6 Assumption in the championship on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 1 p.m.