West Chester vs Kutztown
Game Details: October 23 I 12 P.M.
Location: Rockwell Field (West Chester, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video
Series: 31-15-4
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Kutztown Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
West Chester bounced back from a surprising 2-1 loss at Shippensburg on Wednesday night with a dominant 6-0 victory over Mansfield on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Rams’ six-goal victory was the team’s largest margin of victory since a September 2021 win over Mansfield on Rockwell by the same final. Kaitlynn Haughey (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Charter) opened the scoring just six minutes into the match before Alyson Cutter (Warrington, Pa./C.B. South) scored three goals in the next 14 minutes to give West Chester a commanding 4-0 lead into the half. Lauren Corless (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) and Kianna Barber (Browns, N.J./BCIT) added goals of their own in the second half to cruise to the six-goal triumph.
Flock Talk
With her three goals on Saturday, Cutter increased her season total to nine, which is second-best in the PSAC, trailing only Brooklyn Respecki of Gannon. Faith Matter (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) continues to lead the team and PSAC in points in 23 thanks to six goals and 11 assists after assisting on half of the Golden Rams goals on Saturday afternoon. Taken a step further, Matter is now sixth in school history in career points (81) just two shy of a tie with Brittany Yetter (2005-08) for fifth, while also sitting one assist shy of tying Sarah Oswald's assist record of 32.
West Chester leads the PSAC in scoring average, averaging 2.4 goals per game with a +1.50 margin, thanks in part to the efforts of Grace Keen (Lincoln University, Pa./Avon Grove), who is 8-4-0 on the year with a 0.96 goals-against average and six shutouts.
We Are Honored
Cutter became the latest Golden Ram to be recognized on Monday afternoon, earning PSAC East Athlete of the Week honors after her Saturday hat trick. With this recognition, West Chester earned a weekly award from the PSAC in the last three weeks, beginning with Faith Matter (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) earlier this month.
First Time in a Long Time
Cutter’s hat trick on Saturday afternoon was the first by a Golden Ram in a regular-season game since October 6, 2015, when current assistant coach Scarlett Walsh did so against Wilmington, and it is the first in a conference game since September 2012 vs. Mercyhurst.
Heating Up
West Chester has won four of its last five games, and six of eight dating back to a pair of late September wins over Lock Haven and Mansfield. Including its win over Bloomsburg on October 5, West Chester has outscored opponents 13-2, with all four victories being shutouts.
Taking Shape
As the 2024 regular season enters its final weeks, the PSAC Tournament picture is steadily becoming clearer, although the top three spots remain separated by just two points. Despite its victory on Saturday, West Chester is currently third in the standings at 7-4-0 in league action with 21 points. Today’s matchup will allow West Chester to climb into second place, passing Kutztown, who is one point ahead with 22. Shepherd (7-1-2) remains in first with 23 points after playing to a 1-1 draw at East Stroudsburg on Saturday afternoon.
Spooky Season
Under head coach Betty Ann Kempf Townsley, West Chester is 101-16-11 in matches played in October. The Golden Rams' current senior class has only lost three games in October and has played to a draw in two others, posting a record of 24-4-2 in their careers entering play on Wednesday afternoon.
Series History
West Chester holds a slim 31-15-4 lead in the all-time series against Kutztown after going 1-1-1 against the Golden Bears in 2023. Although West Chester lost its season opener to Kutztown for the second year in a row, it has never been swept in a season series against Kutztown and has not lost two straight to the Golden Bears since 2016 and 2017.
In the first matchup this season in early October, Victoria Pungello (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) gave the Golden Rams an early lead just 11 minutes into the match, but Kutztown scored three unanswered, including two in the second half to storm past West Chester by a 3-1 final.
Scouting Kutztown
Kutztown also enters play as winners of four of its last five games after its 3-1 win over West Chester on October 2nd, which halted a four-game winless streak for the Golden Bears. Over the last five games, Kutztown has outscored its opponents 11-2, with the lone two teams to muster a goal against them being West Chester and Millersville (10/16). On Saturday afternoon, Kutztown rolled past Shippensburg by a 3-0 final as Katelyn Economopoulos gave the Golden Bears the lead at the half before a pair of second-half goals by Isabella Rosetti and Gianna Rivera put the game out of reach down the stretch.
Rossetti is third in the league and second in the east in goals with a team-high on the year for 16 points, while Corrine Morgan is second in scoring with five goals and an assist for 11 points. Economopoulos, who had a breakout game last time Kutztown visited Rockwell Field, is the team leader in assists with five and a goal for seven points on the year. Defensively, Cassidy Hows has been the starter in goal, playing to a record of 7-1-3 with a 0.67 goals-against average and five shutouts.
