SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – No. 15 Kutztown refused to go quietly Sunday afternoon at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, rallying from a four-goal deficit and scoring three unanswered in the final 7:43 to pull within one, ultimately falling to undefeated No. 7 Slippery Rock 11-10 in the PSAC Championship Game.
The Golden Bears (14-6) delivered an incredible performance from the opening draw, earning their second PSAC Runner-Up title in three years and cementing their place among the conference elite.
Slippery Rock (20-0) struck first with goals at 14:11 and 9:42, but Kutztown answered with three straight to take their first lead of the game.
Lauren LaMorte (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip), who led the Golden Bears with four goals and six points on the day, ignited the rally with back-to-back goals at 7:11 and 5:14, rolling around the crease with authority.
Katie Yocum (Hanover, Pa./South Western) gave Kutztown the lead at 4:07, weaving through defenders to make it 3-2. Slippery Rock tied it at 2:24, but senior
Summer Davis (Beach Haven, N.J./Southern Regional) delivered a highlight-reel moment, forcing one of her eight caused turnovers on the day, scooping up the ground ball, and racing down the field to score her second career goal and give the Bears a 4-3 lead heading into the second quarter.
The second quarter belonged to Slippery Rock, as they scored three unanswered goals at 8:12, 5:38, and 4:35 to take a 6-4 halftime advantage.
LaMorte opened the third quarter with her hat-trick goal at 11:46, finishing a feed from
Alexis Plesic (Hanover, Pa./South Western) to cut the deficit to one. Plesic finished the day with four points on two goals and two assists, showcasing the Bears' balanced attack.
Isabella Montuori (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot), coming off her game-winning performance against No. 4 East Stroudsburg in the semifinals, tied the game at 6-6 at 10:08. Slippery Rock answered with two goals at 5:15 and 2:21, but Plesic struck with 48 seconds remaining in the quarter off a LaMorte feed to bring Kutztown back within one at 8-7 entering the final frame.
The fourth quarter was nothing short of thrilling. Slippery Rock opened with three straight goals to build an 11-7 lead with just under 8:30 to play, but the Golden Bears refused to surrender. Davis won the ensuing draw control and got the ball to Plesic, who converted a free-position shot at 7:43. After a crucial save by goalkeeper
Marisa Bragg (Ringoes, N.J./Hunterdon Central) at 6:35, Kutztown cleared successfully and LaMorte found Yocum in the circle for her second goal at 4:58. Bragg came up big again with another save, Davis forced another turnover, and the Bears cleared once more. Plesic found LaMorte with 2:52 remaining, and LaMorte ripped a shot past the goalkeeper to bring Kutztown within one at 11-10.
The intensity reached a fever pitch as both teams battled for possession. Kutztown called a timeout at 1:35, and the Bears pushed for the tying goal. Yocum's shot hit the post with 1:17 remaining, and Slippery Rock secured the ground ball and held on through the final buzzer.
Despite the heartbreaking finish, the statistics told the story of Kutztown's fight. The Golden Bears outshot Slippery Rock 29-22, putting 20 on frame to the Rock's 16. Kutztown forced a season-high 22 turnovers while committing just 16, and won the ground ball battle 20-17. The difference came in draw controls (15-8 SRU) and free-position conversions: Slippery Rock converted five of nine free-position opportunities, with nearly half their goals coming from the line, while Kutztown converted one of two.
The physical, hard-fought championship saw 16 total cards issued, nine to Slippery Rock and seven to Kutztown, including five yellow cards, underscoring the competitive fire both teams brought to the title game.
The Golden Bears' remarkable season isn't over yet. Kutztown now looks ahead to the NCAA Division II Tournament, with the selection show airing Sunday, May 3, at 8:30 p.m.Â
Â
