Kutztown University Athletics

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's lacrosse team derailed another unbeaten season, Saturday, knocking off No. 4 Slippery Rock, 9-6, in the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
Kutztown's 16th victory is a new program single-season record and sends the Golden Bears to next Saturday's Atlantic Region championship and national quarterfinals for the first time in program history, where they'll face East Stroudsburg in a rematch of the PSAC semifinals.
 
Madison Wenner (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) collected three goals, Lauren LaMorte (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) and Isabella Montuori (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot) each had a pair, Summer Davis (Beach Haven, N.J./Southern Regional) forced five Rock turnovers and goalie Marisa Bragg (Ringoes, N.J./Hunterdon Central) was tremendous with 12 saves.
 
"This team keeps surprising me, surprising everyone," head coach Kristen Nicholson said. "It's all about heart, relentless energy and love for one another. That's what lifted us up today."
 
The Golden Bears (16-6) overcame a pair of one-goal deficits and netted the final four goals of the contest to establish a three-goal advantage that was the largest enjoyed by either team.
 
LaMorte opened the scoring for the Maroon and Gold and tied the game less than two minutes in when she deposited a pass from Alexis Plesic (Hanover, Pa./South Western) past SRU goalie Lily Ventresca during a player-up situation.
 
Wenner netted back-to-back unassisted goals at 11:06 and 9:03 to put the visitors in front for the first time, 3-2.
 
Grace Rotter's second goal of the game and 63rd of the season knotted the game at three with 3:29 left in the first.
 
The score remained deadlocked until late in the second. Bragg made a huge save on Isabella Buono with 5:20 remaining, Wenner picked up the ground ball and took it the other way before beating a defender and firing a shot into the upper right corner of the net for a 4-3 KU edge with 4:21 to go.
 

Big save from Marisa Bragg (Ringoes, N.J./Hunterdon Central) keeps it tied! pic.twitter.com/OZXnYZYa0A

— Kutztown University Athletics (@KUGoldenBears) May 9, 2026

 
"I trust in my defense," Bragg said. "I have a certain shot I want to see and they did their job to force those shots [by Slippery Rock] all day. We got energy off that save, sent the ball down and Wenner gets the job done at the other end."
 
Wenner's goal proved to be the only one of the quarter as the Bears took their one-goal lead to the break.
 

WLAX | HALF | @GoldenBearLax 4, Slippery Rock 3

Madison Wenner's (Marmora, N.J./Ocean City) third goal of the game on this beautiful shot was the only goal of the second quarter. Bragg stepping up in goal, now up to 5 saves! pic.twitter.com/Phg4DU7kw6

— Kutztown University Athletics (@KUGoldenBears) May 9, 2026

 
"Everyone on this team is working hard and I want to be able to provide for my teammates," Wenner said. Nicholson added, "every game it's somebody different stepping up and that's the most amazing part of our offense right now."
 
LaMorte scored her second of the game early in the third on a beautiful individual effort. The junior rolled out from behind the cage and sent a perfectly placed shot past a Rock defender and Ventresca to put Kutztown up 5-3.
 
Slippery Rock (20-1), which got the best of Kutztown by an 11-10 score in last Sunday's PSAC Championship Game on the same field, answered with three goals in a 3-minute, 44-second stretch to reclaim the lead, 6-5. Reagan Richeson tallied her 70th of the year and Rotter set up goals from Caitlyn Kelly and Buono.
 
Montuori converted her first of two free position attempts with 3:09 left in the third and Sophie Engelhardt (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) caught Slippery Rock off guard from behind the cage to tuck a shot inside the right post, restoring the Bears' one-goal lead, 7-6, after three.
 

WLAX | END 3Q | @GoldenBearLax 7, Slippery Rock 6

Sophie Engelhardt (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) tucks this one in as KU scores the final 2 of the quarter to go back in front! LaMorte and Montuori with the other Golden Bear goals in the 3rd! pic.twitter.com/5e15ywPrp7

— Kutztown University Athletics (@KUGoldenBears) May 9, 2026

 
Kutztown locked it down defensively in the fourth. Bragg made five saves, Davis caused a pair of turnovers, and the Golden Bears didn't allow a goal while adding two insurance markers at the other end.
 
Sammy Ruwet (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional) found a wide open Plesic in front for an 8-6 lead with 7:59 remaining and Montuori finished off the scoring with another free position goal 90 seconds later.
 
SRU outshot Kutztown 25-17 and held a 23-9 advantage in ground balls but were just 1-of-6 on free position attempts, with four of those turned away by Bragg.
 
Wenner made critical plays at both ends of the field. In addition to her hat trick, the junior midfielder from Marmora, N.J., led the team with four draw controls and three ground balls. She also caused three turnovers.
 
Kutztown has now collected its first two NCAA Tournament wins all-time (12-8 first round win over Wingate last Thursday) in its third appearance. The fourth-seeded Golden Bears are expected to travel to second-seeded East Stroudsburg next Saturday, May 16, for the Atlantic Region championship. The location and start time have not yet been officially announced by the NCAA. KU dealt the Warriors their only loss of the season to date (18-1), 10-8, in the PSAC semifinals in Slippery Rock back on May 1.
 

WLAX | FINAL | @GoldenBearLax 9, Slippery Rock 6

THE GOLDEN BEARS TAKE DOWN 20-0 SLIPPERY ROCK TO ADVANCE TO THE NATIONAL QUARTERFINALS AND ATLANTIC REGION CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PROGRAM HISTORY!!! pic.twitter.com/WI98hhJnrg

— Kutztown University Athletics (@KUGoldenBears) May 9, 2026

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