KUTZTOWN, Pa. –
Isabella Rossetti (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) tied a career-best by scoring two goals, and it was all of the scoring 14th-ranked Kutztown women's soccer needed Saturday afternoon as it defeated Lock Haven 2-0 in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division home opener from Keystone Field.
The Golden Bears (4-0 overall, 2-0 PSAC East) have now won their first four games for the first time since the 2021 season and have outscored their opponents 10-1 so far this campaign.
Rossetti moved into the team lead with four goals, which ranks second in the conference. She overtook teammate
Corinne Morgan (Port Republic, N.J./Cedar Creek), who has three to her name and is third in the PSAC in goals scored.
It was a bit of a sleepy first half as neither team could muster up any offense, or, for the most part, scoring chances. The Maroon and Gold had five shots, but just two on goal in the opening 45 minutes, along with four corner kicks. The Bald Eagles (1-1-2, 1-1) mustered up just one shot and didn't have any corners.
But the second half got started in quick and exciting fashion as the scoreless drought changed in a matter of seconds, 46 seconds to be exact. The Golden Bears received the second half kickoff and drove right down their offensive third and earned a corner kick.
Katelyn Economopoulos (Grantville, Pa./Lower Dauphin) swung the corner into the 18-yard box and Rossetti was waiting as she drove her header past Lock Haven's Megan Miller for the game's opening goal.
Still only leading by one goal and the KU defense having to stave off some Bald Eagles' pressure in their offensive end, Rossetti gave her team some cushion as she found a through ball right at the top of the 18, took a dribble to elude a defender and slotted home a shot in the lower right corner with her left foot for the 2-0 advantage.
That was all the defense needed, led by captain
Bridget Curtis (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South),
Skyler Jordan (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth),
Dana Wentz (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) and
Charlotte Rauch (Bellport, N.Y./Bellport).
Freshman goalie
Cassidy Howes (Havre de Grace, Md./Havre de Grace) finished with one save as she made her third consecutive start in goal for KU.
Kutztown will stay at home for its next game as it hosts East Stroudsburg on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m., on Youth Night from Keystone Field.
