KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The No. 1-ranked and top-seeded Kutztown University field hockey team is set to face No. 3-seeded Shippensburg in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship Game on Sunday, Nov. 9, at noon at Andre Reed Stadium. The Golden Bears are chasing their first-ever PSAC Championship title and the most wins in a single season in program history.

Kutztown (19-0, 9-0 PSAC), under head coach Marci Scheuing, entering the championship game ranked No. 1 in both the NFHCA Division II National Coaches Poll and the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings, has put together a season for the record books. The Golden Bears are riding a 19-game winning streak, their longest ever and the best start in program history. Friday's 2-0 semifinal win over No. 4 West Chester tied the school record for most victories in a single season (19) and secured the team's third all-time appearance in the PSAC Championship Game.

After a scoreless first half in the semifinal, Kutztown broke through early in the third quarter with an Olivia Kirkpatrick (Annville, Pa./Palmyra) penalty stroke. Just three minutes later, Marissa Rice (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) added an insurance goal to send KU to Sunday's title match.

This is the seventh straight PSAC Tournament appearance for the Golden Bears (excluding the canceled 2020 season) and their first championship game appearance since 2019.

Following Kutztown's semifinal win, No. 3-seeded Shippensburg (16-3, 6-3 PSAC) took the field against No. 2 East Stroudsburg in Friday's nightcap. The Raiders jumped out to a commanding 4-0 lead and held off a furious late rally to win 4-3 and advance to their second consecutive PSAC Championship appearance.

The Raiders' offense came alive early, with goals from McKenna Boyle, Anne Gardner, Agus Garibaldi, and Kelly Naude. East Stroudsburg clawed back with three goals in the final minutes, but Shippensburg held strong defensively to clinch its spot in the title game.

Historically, Shippensburg holds a 32-12 all-time advantage over Kutztown, but the Bears have won the last two meetings. This will mark the first-ever PSAC Championship Game between the programs and the fourth all-time postseason matchup, with Shippensburg having won the previous three tournament meetings.

The two teams last met on Nov. 1 in Kutztown's regular-season finale — a 2-0 Golden Bear victory that capped KU's perfect 18-0 regular season. Julia Traynor (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) scored the game-winner on a turnaround shot, and Jessica Traynor (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) added a mid-air strike for extra cushion.

Kutztown was one of only two teams all season to shut out Shippensburg, limiting the Raiders to six total shots and three shots on goal, both team lows. The Bears generated four shots and five penalty corners in the matchup, while freshman goalkeeper Tess Adolf (Lawrence, N.J./Lawrence) made two of KU's three saves to preserve the clean sheet.

Kutztown leads the PSAC in nearly every major statistical category — including goals scored (97), fewest goals allowed (10), and penalty corners (276). The Bears average 5.1 goals per game, compared to Shippensburg's 2.9.

Defensively, the Raiders rank second in the league with only 14 goals allowed this season but have scored 56, just over half of Kutztown's offensive output.

The Raiders will look to defend their 2024 PSAC title, while the Golden Bears aim to make history with their first conference championship and a perfect 20-0 season.

The PSAC Championship Game is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 9, at 12 p.m. at Andre Reed Stadium in Kutztown. Ticket information, as well as live streaming and statistical coverage, will be linked above.