KUTZTOWN, Pa. --The second-ranked Kutztown University field hockey team (6-0-1-0 PSAC) dominated from start to finish, putting five past Mercyhurst (2-5,0-2 PSAC) in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opener at a rainy Andree Reed Stadium Saturday morning.
Marci Scheuing's Golden Bears were efficient in all facets of the game. KU outshot the Lakers 30-0, with a 21-0 shots on goals advantage. The Golden Bears also had 15 penalty corners compared to zero for Mercyhurst. KU remains the only NCAA Division II team to not allow a goal this entire season.
Juliana Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Schalick) led the way for the Golden Bears, netting one goal while dishing out two assists in the win. Breann Craley (York, Pa./Central York) got the scoring going for KU towards the end of the first quarter, putting home her team-leading sixth goal of the campaign off an assist from Megan Doyle (Hackettstown, N.J./Hackettstown). Donato's goal came in the second quarter off a deflection in front of the cage from a Jillian Buchman (Drums, Pa./Hazleton) shot.
Three minutes later, Jordan Stroup (Millerstown, Pa./Greenwood) got on the scoresheet, burying a rebound for her second goal of the season to make it 3-0 Golden Bears heading into the half. Erin Gonzalez (East Earl, Pa./Garden Spot) and Mackenzie Kile (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) put the game firmly out of reach in the second half, both finding the back of the cage off feeds from Donato.
The Golden Bears will face their toughest test of the season on Tuesday, Sept. 26 as they travel to face off against the number one team in the country and last year's national champions East Stroudsburg. That game from Whitenight Field will start at 3 p.m.
