KUTZTOWN, Pa. – It will be an historic evening Saturday as fourth-ranked and third-seeded Kutztown Field Hockey welcome sixth-seeded Pace University to Andre Reed Stadium for an NCAA Division II Quarterfinal Round game at 6 p.m. It will be the first ever NCAA home field hockey game for the KU program.
 
This will also be the first meeting between the two teams.
 
It is the first appearance at NCAAs for the Golden Bears (16-3 overall) since 2019, when they reached the Final Four, and the seventh time KU has competed in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students, children and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online, beginning Tuesday, Nov. 7, by CLICKING HERE.
 
The Maroon and Gold enter Saturday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and NCAA leaders in goals allowed, giving up just eight all season. A lot of that success has to do with the stellar play in the backend from All-PSAC defenders Sarah Gatehouse (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) and Danielle Panati (West Chester, Pa./Unionville), along with Alyssa Eager (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and goalie Mia Kepler (Wall Township, N.J./Wall). KU has a program-record 14 shutouts this season and has only allowed more than one goal in a game twice.
 
The offense is led by four All-PSAC performers, including Juliana Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Schalick), Erin Gonzalez (East Earl, Pa./Garden Spot), Grace Harrold (York, Pa./Central York) and Mackenzie Kile (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood). Donato is tied for second in the conference and fourth in the nation in assists with 11. Gonzalez leads the team with eight goals, while Breann Craley (York, Pa./Central York) and Gatehouse have seven and Jillian Buchman (Drums, Pa./Hazleton) six.
 
The Golden Bears reached the PSAC semifinals, falling to eventual runner-up Shippensburg 1-0 in overtime last Friday, Nov. 3, at East Stroudsburg University's Whitenight Field. ESU won its second straight conference title over the Raiders, also winning in OT. The Warriors and Raiders are the one and two seeds, respectively. Those two teams receive a bye into the semifinal round, which is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 17, at Grappone Stadium in Manchester, N.H. The championship game will be that Sunday.
 
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.