BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – Kutztown will have a chance at defending its first ever Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship as it qualified for the PSAC Tournament with a 48-45 road win at Bloomsburg Saturday afternoon inside Nelson Fieldhouse.
 
The Golden Bears (15-9 overall, 11-6 PSAC) became just the second team in the Eastern Division to clinch a spot in the postseason tournament, joining first place Lock Haven (18-5, 14-3).
 
For the second straight game, nine different Golden Bears found the score column, led by nine each from Danae Ellzy (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) and Madison Siggins (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), with Siggins flirting with a double-double, adding eight rebounds. Bella Quinn (Ashland, Ky./Russell) finished with eight points and six boards and both Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) and Ariana Smuda (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) tallied six points, the latter also contributing seven rebounds.
 
The Maroon and Gold were looking at going into the locker room at halftime behind as they trailed 18-16 with just 0:07 to go, but following a missed Huskies (12-12, 8-10) free-throw, Quinn grabbed the rebound and drove down court and swished home a jump shot just as the buzzer sounded to tie the score going into the intermission.
 
Bloomsburg scored the first six points of the third quarter to go on top 24-18, but KU went on a 13-3 run in the final 7:07 to take a 31-27 advantage after three, as Taylor Gurysh (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) went 2-for-2 at the charity stripe with 0:24 left. Kutztown never trailed the rest of the way, but BU tied the score at 33-33 with a 3-pointer 2:32 into the final frame. Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) and Ellzy combined to go 3-of-4 from the line and then the Huskies nailed another shot from distance as the two teams once again found themselves in a 36-36 draw. Smuda converted two straight layups on back-to-back possessions and the Golden Bears remained in front for the rest of the 3:24.
 
When Bloomsburg pulled to within one at 43-42 with 2:14 remaining, Hurley drained a 3-pointer the following possession on an assist by Smelas to put her team up four. The Huskies were within three at 48-45 with the ball and 0:17 to play, but missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Maroon and Gold walked off the court winners.
 
Smelas had game-highs of 15 rebounds and three steals. Gurysh netted four points, Josephine Vourliotis (Manchester, England/Stretford Grammar School) contributed three points and Jadyn Brenneman (New Fairfield, Conn./Western Reserve Academy) rounded out the scoring with two points.
 
Kutztown is back at home for two games in-a-row, the last two home games of the regular season, beginning next Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 5:30 p.m., against East Stroudsburg from Keystone Arena.

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