KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's soccer team used three second-half goals to drop the Mansfield Mountaineers by a score of 3-0 in the final home game of the 2024 regular season at Keystone Field, where the team honored four seniors before kicking off Saturday's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division match.
While a silent first half had both sides holding their breath, the Golden Bears (9-2-6, 7-2-6 PSAC East) pulled through with a trio of goals against a Mansfield (0-14-3, 0-14-1) team that put up a strong defense against KU's high powered attack.
Sophomore
Maura Day (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Abington) paced the home attack, assisting on the first goal netted by
Katelyn Economopoulos (Grantville, Pa./Lower Dauphin) and netting a strike of her own 10 minutes later. Senior defender
Bridget Curtis (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) set up the final score for
Corinne Morgan (Port Republic, N.J./Cedar Creek), who recorded a goal in back-to-back games for the second time this season.
The Golden Bears honored four seniors, who are set to cap off their season at season's end. Curtis was joined by
Jocelyn Fowler (Orefield, Pa./Parkland),
Becky Galicki (Danielsville, Pa./Northampton) and
Alex Fasano (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) in the pregame ceremony, as the team also honored fifth-year players
Taylor Rapel (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg),
Isabella Rossetti (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East),
Joslyn Stoltz (Levittown, Pa./Calvary Christian Academy),
Melissa Ulrich (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) and
Dana Wentz (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) for their contributions to the team.
Galicki and Fasano took the field alongside Ulrich with 11 minutes remaining in the contest, as they played out the remaining time in the final regular season home game of the year. Fasano attempted a pair of shots with one on frame for the Golden Bears.
It was another busy day of shooting for the Maroon and Gold, who put 15 shots on goal on 26 total attempts. It dwarfed the attack of the Mountaineers, who couldn't convert on a pair of shots on goal and four total shots. Kutztown had their typical day dominating the corners, leading 11-0 against Mansfield.
Freshman
Cassidy Howes (Havre de Grace, Md./Havre de Grace) got the nod in the net for Kutztown, as she saved a pair of second-half attempts from the Mountaineers. The rookie's opposing counterpart – sophomore Alyssa Shuman – recorded 12 saves on the afternoon, but let in the three pivotal goals that turned out to be the difference.
The Golden Bears conclude their regular season with a Wednesday night game against the East Stroudsburg Warriors at Gregory-Douds Field at Eiler-Martin Stadium at 7 p.m. Kutztown currently controls their playoff destiny and expects to be a high-seeded team heading into the PSAC Women's Soccer Championship.
