BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – No. 13 Kutztown women's soccer suffered its first defeat of the 2024 regular season as Bloomsburg scored two unanswered goals, one in each half, after KU opened the scoring in the 16th minute. The Huskies held on for a 2-1 victory Wednesday afternoon in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division game.
The Golden Bears (4-1-2 overall, 2-1-2 PSAC East) played from behind for much of the second half for the second straight game. They have not won at Bloomsburg (5-2, 3-2) since the 2021 season, four games.
Joslyn Stoltz (Levittown, Pa./Calvary Christian Academy) was positioned in front of the Bloomsburg net near the six-yard box and flicked home a second KU effort after a pass in initially went by the first Golden Bear without a touch. The graduate student caught Samantha Merklin off guard as her shot slipped past her for the game's opening goal just 15:32 in.
The Huskies were able to answer with a goal from Alena Totten, on a pass that ran in front of the center of goal to tie the score with 4:59 left until halftime. It was the first shot on goal for Bloomsburg.
The momentum continued into the second half for Bloomsburg as Jess Wanzor played a ball into the 18-yard box and Kennedy Kilchrist just slipped by her defender to one-touch the ball with her right foot and into the back of the net for the 2-1 lead in the 61st minute. That proved to be the game-winner.
Kutztown outshot Bloomsburg 13-6 overall and 6-2 in shots on goal, while holding a 9-5 edge in corner kicks.
Kutztown returns home after two straight road games and will host Shepherd this Saturday, Sept. 28, at noon, from Keystone Field. The Rams currently lead the conference at 4-0 and 12 points and are the lone undefeated team in the East.
