EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. -- Kutztown's bid to knock off a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time since the program was reintroduced in 2008 will have to wait another day.
The Golden Bears went goal-for-goal with 12th-ranked East Stroudsburg for 60 minutes, Wednesday, but the Warriors made two defensive stands in the final minutes to escape with a 10-9 PSAC East victory.
Like they did against No. 1 West Chester last week, the Bears fell into an early hole, yielding five of the first six goals to trail by four with 5:34 left in the first half. Unlike last week's game, however, Kutztown didn't lose contact with the Warriors, pulling itself back within one goal by 8:57 of the third on consecutive goals from
Emma Meakim (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland),
Katie Yocum (Hanover, Pa./South Western) and
Shannon Lake (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford).
Unfortunately KU (7-3, 4-2 PSAC East) was left chasing the rest of the afternoon.
Kristen Nicholson's team drew within one goal five different times in the second half, but could never get the equalizer against a talented and battle-tested ESU squad.
With just over four minutes remaining Emily Mitarotonda appeared to put ESU up 11-8 and essentially end Kutztown's comeback hopes, but referees quickly waived off the goal and assessed Mitarotonda with a yellow card after her follow through caught Golden Bear defender
Brooke-Lynn Grim (Abbottstown, Pa./New Oxford) in the face.
Kutztown took advantage, needing less than 30 seconds of the player-up opportunity to transition down the field and score to make it a one-goal game. Meakim found
Lailah ElBouazzaoui (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) out in front of the cage and the sophomore from Bridgewater, N.J., beat Warrior goalie Riley DiFiore with a shot for her third goal of the game.
The Golden Bears kept the pressure on in the final three minutes.
Rowan Hall (Sloatsburg, N.Y./Suffern) intercepted a pass and Nicholson called timeout to try and set up a play to tie the contest. KU raced down field and got the ball to their leading goal scorer,
Sam Graf (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills). Graf made a move to goal, but her shot was partially blocked on its way to being stopped by DiFiore.
With the possession clock off and time ticking away as the final minute approached, ESU (9-2, 5-1 PSAC East) opted not to slow up and it nearly cost them. Campbell Heller lost control of the ball trying to get a shot off around three KU defenders and goalie
Jenna Blesson (Sparta, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional) picked it up to put possession back with the Bears. Another timeout followed, but Kutztown turned it over in transition and the Warriors ran out the clock from there.
Meakim paced the Maroon and Gold with six points on a goal and five assists, setting the program's career assists record in the process. The Hatboro, Pa., native entered the game with 56 helpers, one shy of the 57 Sarah Gabriele provided between 2015-18. Meakim tied the mark on ElBouazzaoui's first-quarter goal and broke the record when she set up Yocum at 11:03 of the third. Wednesday was Meakim's eighth game with three or more assists in 10 this season. She currently leads the PSAC and ranks fourth in NCAA Division II with 39 this season, having already blown past the school's former single-season record.
ElBouazzaoui and Lake recorded hat tricks, Graf had a goal and
Kayla Brooks (Mountville, Pa./Hempfield) picked up an assist for KU, which is receiving votes in the latest IWLCA Division II national poll. The Golden Bears have proven they belong there with their only three defeats coming against nationally ranked teams, including two by a combined three goals to then-No. 14 Lynn (13-11) and No. 12 ESU, both on the road.
Kutztown outshot the Warriors 30-27 and picked up 28 ground balls, third-most in a game this season. Blesson made 13 saves and grabbed five ground balls. Graf had four ground balls and four draw controls,
Cyrose Conteh (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) chipped in four draws and two caused turnovers and
Robin Spector (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) also forced a pair of ESU giveaways.
Mitarotonda led ESU with six points (four goals, two assists) and teammate Madison Bagatta supplied five points (three goals, two assists). Mitarotonda also had a game-high eight draws as the Warriors nearly doubled up KU in that category, 15-8. DiFiore stopped 14 Golden Bear shots in the win.
The Golden Bears will get right back to work as they prepare for the second half of the conference slate, which begins Saturday when Shippensburg visits Keystone Field at 1 p.m.
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