SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Greenleigh McGehee (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) and Jocelyn Morgan (Easton, Pa./Easton) both scored second quarter goals and the second-ranked Kutztown field hockey defense, in particular, Mia Kepler (Wall Township, N.J./Wall), held on late to earn a 2-1 road victory in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action Friday afternoon across the state at Slippery Rock.
 
The Golden Bears (11-4 overall, 5-3 PSAC) ended a season-long, three-game losing streak and will enter the final week of the regular season with some positive momentum.
 
With a road trip across the state where the team left yesterday, some tired legs and a slow start may have been expected. The first quarter was scoreless and even with five penalty corners for KU, it only recorded two shots, neither on frame.
 
But in the second quarter, the Maroon and Gold got it together and got things going. Just 5:33 into the period, McGehee found the back of the cage for her fifth goal of the season, first since Oct. 1. Marlee Fetrow (Birdsboro, Pa./Daniel Boone) was credited with the assist. Then, 4:53 later, Morgan found herself in the perfect position directly in front of cage to send home a shot off a crossing pass by Brinley Rex (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) for her third goal this season and a 2-0 lead that went to halftime.
 
In the third quarter, the Kutztown defense, in particular, Kepler had to come up big to keep the shutout going. After the Rock (3-11, 0-8) earned their first corner 5:19 into the third quarter, the referee awarded them with a penalty stroke. But Kepler made the one-on-one save. In the fourth quarter, however, SRU broke through on another stroke with just 0:24 to play. The graduate student goalie finished with four saves.
 
The Golden Bears held a 14-6 advantage in shots, with the two teams tied 5-5 in shots on cage. KU finished with a 12-2 edge in penalty corners.
 
Kutztown concludes its regular season portion of its schedule next week with two home games at Andre Reed Stadium, one in conference and one non-conference. KU hosts Millersville in PSAC action on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m., and then welcomes Roberts Wesleyan to town for a senior day game on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 11 a.m.

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