MANSFIELD, Pa. – Kutztown women's basketball ended the regular season riding some positive momentum as it took care of business on the road, downing Mansfield 59-54 Saturday afternoon in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division game inside Decker Gymnasium.
 
The Golden Bears (19-9 overall, 15-6 PSAC) have now won six games in-a-row to finish out the regular season portion of their schedule, a season-high win streak. The 15 conference victories is the most in a season since the 2021-22 season when the program won 18.
 
KU, which earned the two seed from the East in next week's PSAC Tournament, will host a quarterfinal round game at Keystone Arena next Wednesday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m. The opponent is still to be determined, but it will be a West Division team and the winner of the three-six matchup from the First Round, which is Seton Hill against Clarion.
 
The Maroon and Gold swept the season series with the Mounties, winning the first game at home, 90-66, on Jan. 29. They have won the last 14 matchups between the two teams.
 
Freshman Maggie Coleman (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) led the offense with 12 points, her second highest total this season and most since she had 17 back on Nov. 19. She also added five rebounds and three steals. Ariana Smuda (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) recorded her fourth double-double of the season, ending with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Taylor Gurysh (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) tallied nine points and both Danae Ellzy (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) and Nadia Yemola (Harleysville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) finished with six points.
 
The Golden Bears led 18-13 after the opening quarter, but trailed 29-28 at halftime. The Mounties (4-24, 2-19) extended their advantage to as many as four (32-28) just 0:08 after intermission and were ahead 42-41 after three. Mansfield once again opened the fourth with a 3-pointer to go on top by four (45-41) 0:40 into the final frame, but KU went on an 18-9 run the rest of the way to finish off the win.
 
Madison Siggins (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe), Jadyn Brenneman (New Fairfield, Conn./Western Reserve Academy) and Kitty Randa (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) all contributed three points and both Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) and Stella Higgins (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) rounded out the scoring with two points.
 
Kutztown will look to defend its home court in the PSAC quarterfinal next Wednesday and is attempting to get back to the final four, where it won it all a season ago, the program's first PSAC title.

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