WEST CHESTER, PA –
Marissa Herring (Landenberg, Pa./Kennett Square) scored a season-high five goals while
Lila McMahon-Skates (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) scored three times and assisted on three others as host West Chester held off a late push from Kutztown to walk away from Vonnie Gros Field with a 14-12 victory on a sunny, but cold, Wednesday afternoon.
West Chester (6-1, 2-0 PSAC East) remained unbeaten in conference play while Kutztown fell to 5-3 overall and 1-2 in league play with the setback.
Herring's fifth goal of the game gave the Golden Rams a 13-10 advantage with just over five minutes left in the third quarter. But, Kutztown would not go away in the final frame, scoring back-to-back tallies with nine minutes to go in the contest to draw within one at 13-12.
Kendall Fortune (Jarrettsville, Md./North Harford) gave the hosts some breathing room with four minutes to play on a free position attempt, and Herring came up with the ensuing draw control to help West Chester waste more time.
Kutztown threw the ball away twice in the last two minutes of the game, failing to clear the ball, and the Golden Rams emerged victorious of a ranked opponent for the third time this season.
A four-goal run by West Chester late in the second period turned a 5-5 tie into a 9-5 lead for the home team. That spurt was ignited by two player-up goals on the same penalty 49 seconds apart. Herring scored two of the four goals during the run.
Kutztown answered with a four-goal rally of its own, two before halftime and two at the beginning of the third. However,
Madeline Edinger (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) and McMahon-Skates tallied back-to-back midway through the third to give the Golden Rams an 11-9 edge. Kutztown nudged closer with a marker of its own with seven minutes to go in the third. But, West Chester was able to answer the bell once again with a pair of tallies to open up that 13-10 lead. McMahon-Skates scored two of those four goals in the third that helped the Golden Rams keep the Golden Bears at bay.
McMahon-Skates assisted on three of Herring's five tallies on the afternoon. She also finished with four ground balls and a caused turnover.
Sydney Wasdick (Pottsgrove, Pa./Pottsgrove) finished the day with two goals and one assist. She added two ground balls and three draw controls to the score sheet as well.
Gianna Booker (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) potted a goal and an assist, but also caused a turnover and was responsible for four draw controls. She held down the fort inside the circle for much of the second half, helping the Golden Rams win 5 of 11 draws and own a lot of possession time. Those numbers were flipped in Kutztown's favor during the first half.
West Chester forced Kutztown into 26 turnovers in the game, including nine on failed clears. The Golden Rams' riding game was a big factor in gaining possessions despite the Bears holding a 17-10 advantage on draws.
Edinger and Fortune each scored one goal and assisted on another.
Ava Sheeran (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) scored a goal as well.
West Chester travels to Shepherd on Saturday for another PSAC East contest and then heads to East Stroudsburg one week from today for a showdown with the Warriors.
