SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – No. 13 Kutztown and No. 4 Slippery Rock will meet again Saturday, May 9, at 1 p.m. at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in the NCAA second round, a rematch everyone has been waiting for since the Golden Bears fell 11-10 in the PSAC Championship just one week ago. This time, the stakes are even higher: an Atlantic Region Championship berth and a spot in the NCAA quarterfinals hang in the balance.

Head coach Kristen Nicholson, fresh off leading her team to their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, is embracing the moment.

"We're excited for the opportunity to advance to the next round of the NCAA Tournament," Nicholson said. "This team has been tested all season, and we're ready to compete at the highest level. We trust our preparation, believe in each other, and can't wait to take the field together again on Saturday."

LAST WEEK'S THRILLER
The memory of last Saturday's PSAC Championship is still fresh. Kutztown led Slippery Rock statistically across the board, outshooting the Rock 29-22, putting 20 on goal to their 16, winning the ground ball battle 20-17, and forcing a season-high 22 turnovers. The Rock committed 24 turnovers, the most they've had all season, as Kutztown's aggressive, turnover-forcing defense wreaked havoc.

But one stat made the difference: free-position shots. Kutztown was awarded just two opportunities and converted one. Slippery Rock converted five of nine attempts, with nearly half their goals coming from the line. For a team built on aggressive defense, keeping the Rock off the free-position line could be the key to advancing to the regional championship.

In Kutztown's first-round win over No. 16 Wingate, three of the Bulldogs' eight goals came on free-position conversions, further proving that penetrating the Golden Bears' defense is nearly impossible without the advantage of an 8-meter shot.

RISING TOGETHER
Since their PSAC Championship thriller, both teams have climbed in the IWLCA national poll. Slippery Rock jumped from No. 7 to No. 4, while Kutztown leaped from No. 15 to No. 13, both reaching their highest rankings of the season. The matchup features two top-15 teams playing their best lacrosse at the perfect time.

A POSTSEASON TO REMEMBER
The Golden Bears have been on fire throughout the postseason. They crushed No. 22 Seton Hill 19-6 in the PSAC quarterfinals, then delivered the performance of a lifetime in the semifinals, stunning undefeated No. 7 East Stroudsburg 10-8 in the highest-ranked victory in program history. They pushed Slippery Rock to the brink in the PSAC Championship, losing by just one goal, and followed that with Thursday's historic first NCAA Tournament win over No. 16 Wingate, 12-8.

Slippery Rock (20-0) remains only one of two undefeated teams in Division II women's lacrosse, having posted the best record in the country this spring. All six of Kutztown's losses have come to nationally ranked opponents: No. 14 Pace, No. 7 East Stroudsburg (twice), No. 10 West Chester (twice), and No. 4 Slippery Rock.

HEATING UP AT THE RIGHT TIME
Offensively, junior Lauren LaMorte (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) has been unstoppable when it matters most. She led the Golden Bears (15-6) against Slippery Rock with arguably her most important performance of the season: four goals and two assists for six points. She followed that up with another six-point outing against Wingate on one goal and five assists, orchestrating the offense to perfection.

But Kutztown's depth is what makes them dangerous. The Golden Bears have 15 different goal scorers this season, with seven players recording 25 or more goals. Senior Katie Yocum (Hanover, Pa./South Western) leads the Golden Bears with 69, and junior Maddie Wagner (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) showed she's heating up at the right time with a five-goal outing in the NCAA first round.

Defensively, Kutztown is relentless. Six Golden Bears have recorded 20 or more caused turnovers this season, led by senior Summer Davis (Beach Haven, N.J./Southern Regional) with a program-record 69. Eleven players have tallied 20 or more ground balls, also led by Davis with 63. In goal, All-PSAC second-team selection Marisa Bragg (Ringoes, N.J./Hunterdon Central) just set the single-season program record with 15 goalie wins.

THE OPPONENT
Slippery Rock comes in riding an unprecedented 20-0 record and riding the momentum of their first PSAC Championship in program history. In the teams' last meeting, Reagan Richeson led the Rock with a game-high seven points on four goals and three assists. She leads Slippery Rock with 69 goals and ranks second on the team with 82 points, trailing only Grace Rotter's 86.

The Rock dominates possession, with Shannon Von Kaenel controlling the draw circle. She leads the PSAC with 188 draw controls on the season. In goal, Lily Ventresca earned PSAC Championship Tournament MVP honors after making 10 saves in the title game.

HISTORY AWAITS
Kutztown is chasing history on multiple fronts. A win Saturday would give the Golden Bears their 16th victory of the season, a new program record, and their second NCAA Tournament win, sending them to the Atlantic Region Championship for the first time in program history.

There's no sweeter way to make history than by getting redemption in the rematch.

The winner advances to the Atlantic Region Championship (the NCAA quarterfinals) on Saturday, May 16, facing the winner of No. 2 seed East Stroudsburg and No. 3 seed West Chester. 

Opening draw is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.