KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Shannon Lake (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) tallied her second hat trick of the 2024 season in leading the No. 19 Kutztown offense in scoring, but KU fell behind No. 4 Tampa early and could not climb all the way back in falling 9-7 in non-conference action on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Keystone Field.
 
The Golden Bears (2-1 overall) dropped their first game of the season and are now 1-1 against fellow nationally-ranked teams.
 
Sam Graf (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) also netted multiple goals, finishing with two. Maddie Wagner (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) and Alexis Plesic (Hanover, Pa./South Western), who recorded her first career goal, rounded out the scoring for Kutztown.
 
KU started off the game slow with just one goal in each of the first two quarters. Both tallies came from senior Shannon Lake (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford), one was 6:44 into the contest after the Spartans (4-2) scored the opening goal of the game 0:22 earlier. Lake's second goal 2:09 into the second quarter cut the Maroon and Gold's deficit in half from 3-1 to 3-2. Tampa recorded the final four goals in a span of 7:19 to lead 7-2 at halftime.
 
The Golden Bears had a better second half, outscoring Tampa in both the third (3-1) and fourth quarters (2-1). KU found itself behind 8-5 heading to the fourth quarter before Wagner's goal pulled her team to within just two with 10:42 left. The Spartans responded with one more with 6:56 to play and then Graf gave her team one final chance at a push to tie the game as she found the back of the net with 3:23 remaining and a 9-7 deficit.
 
Tampa won the ensuing draw and had two shots, but Jenna Blesson (Sparta, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional) kept them out of her net. Kutztown had possession again with just over two minutes to play, but a shot sailed high and then a turnover prevented any further attempt at the comeback.
 
Blesson made nine saves in goal for the Golden Bears. Cyrose Conteh (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) won seven draw controls. Robin Spector (Northfield, N.J./Mainland Regional) led the team with three caused turnovers and tied a team-high with four ground balls, joining Emma Meakim (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) and Emily Christiansen (Ledgewood, N.J./Roxbury) with four. Meakim and Olivia Eilbacher (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) each dished out an assist.
 
Kutztown heads south for a game during its spring break and will take on Barton on the road in Barton, N.C., on Monday, March 11, at 7 p.m. KU has nine days off then in between games and will begin Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division competition on Wednesday, March 20, against Shippensburg at Keystone Field.

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