KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- The 13th-ranked Kutztown University women's lacrosse team will look to extend its record-setting 2026 season, Saturday at 12 p.m., when it travels to No. 7 East Stroudsburg with the Atlantic Region championship on the line in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals.

The Golden Bears have already rewritten their record books this postseason by winning the first two national tournament games in team history and establishing a new single-season record for victories with 16. Now, their sights are set on higher goals: a first regional championship and first trip to the Final Four.

To get there, they'll have to go through a dangerous Warriors squad with championship pedigree. ESU (19-1) has won four Atlantic Region titles since 2018, most recently in 2024. This will be the fourth meeting between the two schools this season. The Warriors outscored Kutztown 35-15 in sweeping the regular season series, but the Bears stunned then-unbeaten ESU in the PSAC semifinals out in Slippery Rock, Pa., back on May 1, 10-8.

Kutztown has never beaten ESU at Whitenight Field in 13 games since relaunching the program in 2008. If the Golden Bears are to do it on Saturday, defense will be at the forefront of their efforts. Since an 18-4 loss to West Chester on April 8, KU has allowed eight goals or fewer in all but one of its last nine games. Kristen Nicholson's squad fell to host Slippery Rock, 11-10, in the PSAC Championship Game on May 3, but bounced the top-seeded and unbeaten 20-0 Rock from the national tournament in last Saturday's second round rematch, 9-6.

Senior defender Summer Davis (Beach Haven, N.J./Southern Regional), who was named a USA Lacrosse Magazine Third Team All-American this week, is having a tremendous season with a program single-season record 74 caused turnovers and 65 ground balls (second most in a season). Davis holds the program career record for caused turnovers with 181 and is six ground balls shy of becoming just the third player in school history to register 200 in her career.

Rowan Hall (Sloatsburg, N.Y./Suffern) (40 CTO), Avery Hershey (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) (23 CTO) and Micaiah Parks (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) (22 CTO) help Davis in solidifying KU's backline in front of goalie Marisa Bragg (Ringoes, N.J./Hunterdon Central). Bragg has taken her game to a new level in the postseason, making 10 saves or more in three of her last five games, including a number of critical stops in a 12-save effort to defeat Slippery Rock last Saturday. The senior was an All-PSAC East and IWLCA All-Atlantic Region Second Team selection.

Offensively, the Bears are getting widespread contributions. Seven players have reached the 40-point plateau, led by senior attack Katie Yocum (Hanover, Pa./South Western) with 69 goals and 77 points. Junior attack Lauren LaMorte (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) has three straight multi-point games, including six-point performances against Slippery Rock (May 3) and Wingate (May 7), and is up to 74 points on the campaign with 33 goals and a team-best 41 assists.

Maddie Wagner (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) is one goal away from 50 on the season and Madison Wenner (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) is two shy of 40. Sophie Engelhardt (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) and Alexis Plesic (Hanover, Pa./South Western) have provided balanced scoring, Engelhardt supplying 29 goals and 23 assists for 52 points and Plesic recording 26 goals and 22 assists for 48 points. Sammy Ruwet (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional) is up to 43 points (19g, 24 a) and Isabella Montuori (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot) has three multi-goal games in her last four.

Tickets for Saturday's game can be purchased at the entrance to Whitenight Field and sales are CASH ONLY. Adults are $10, while students, seniors, children, veterans and first responders are $5.

Saturday's winner between Kutztown and ESU will represent the Atlantic Region in the national semifinals at RIT's Judson Stadium in Rochester, N.Y., next weekend. The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, May 21, with the national championship game to follow on Saturday, May 23, at 5 p.m.

Florida Southern has already advanced to the Final Four by winning the South Region, 14-9, over Flagler on Friday evening. Adelphi faces Pace in the East Region final and UIndy takes on Maryville (Mo.) for the Midwest Region title on Saturday to round out the quarterfinal matchups.