KUTZTOWN, PA
(November 11, 2009)
– The Kutztown University women’s soccer is ranked
17th in the final regular season Top 25
poll released by the National Soccer Coaches
Association of America (NSCAA).
The Golden Bears
(15-5-2) set a single-season school record for
victories and shutouts with 13. Kutztown finished as
the runner-up in last week’s Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference (PSAC) postseason tournament.
Kutztown defeated East Stroudsburg, 4-1, in the
quarterfinals and California (Pa.), 1-0, in the
semifinals before losing to West Chester, 2-1, in
the championship match.
Kutztown was
selected to participate in the 2009 NCAA Division II
championship tournament. Making their second
appearance in school history, the Golden Bears
received a first-round bye and will host an Atlantic
Region pod. Kutztown will open NCAA Division II
championship play against the winner of the West
Virginia Wesleyan-California (Pa.) game Sunday,
November 15 beginning at 1 p.m.
Kutztown also
finished as the second-ranked team in the Atlantic
Region in the latest NSCAA poll. West Chester is the
only team ahead of Kutztown. The Golden Bears are
ranked ahead of California, Indiana (Pa.), Gannon,
West Virginia Wesleyan, Slippery Rock, Mercyhurst,
East Stroudsburg, Davis & Elkins and Edinboro.
Sophomore
Chelsea Bressler (Annville/Annville-Cleona)
leads the Golden Bears in goals scored with 10 goals
and 24 points. Kutztown has used a balanced attack
to enjoy a memorable season. Freshman Molly
Cooper (Palmyra/Palmyra) is second on the team
with seven goals. Sophomore Shannon Pennock
(Mansfield, NJ/North Burlington) and freshman
Stephanie Barnett (Blandon/Fleetwood) have
scored six goals each. Overall, the Golden Bears
have received goals from 14 different players.
Freshman keeper
Alyssa Hackelberg (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) added
to her school record for shutouts in a single season
with 13 in the California (Pa.) victory.
Based in Kansas
City, Kan., the NSCAA is the largest coaches'
organization in the United States. Since its
founding in 1941, it has grown to include more than
28,000 members who coach both genders at all levels
of the sport. In addition to a national rankings
program for colleges and high schools, NSCAA offers
an extensive recognition program that presents
nearly 10,000 individual awards every year. It
fulfills its mission of coaching education through a
nationwide program of clinics and week-long courses,
teaching more than 4,000 soccer.
--KU--
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