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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The fifth-ranked Bloomsburg University field hockey team could not overcome a slow start on Wednesday afternoon as visiting Kutztown University handed the Huskies their first loss of the season, 2-1, in a non-conference matchup at Steph Pettit Stadium. Bloomsburg dropped to 3-1 on the young season while the Golden Bears improved to 4-1 overall with the victory.

Bloomsburg could not generate anything offensively in the first half as the Golden Bears raced out to a 2-0 lead at the break with both goals coming on penalty corner opportunities. Rachel Dusman started the scoring for Kutztown in the 13th minute when she redirected a shot from Kyra Wozniak past sophomore goalkeeper Hannah Barnard (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) for her second goal of the season. Then, in the 24th minute, Alyssa Donato found the back of the net for her first goal of the season to extend the Kutztown advantage to 2-0. Mackenzie Fuhrman and Leigh Roselli were credited with the assists on the goal.

The Golden Bears' defense slammed the door on the Huskies in the opening 35 minutes as Bloomsburg could not work the ball into the circle the entire half. Kutztown outshot Bloomsburg, 4-0, in the first half and held a 7-0 advantage in penalty corners over the same time frame.

Bloomsburg mustered some offense at the outset of the second half as it tried to get back into the game. The Huskies got back-to-back penalty corner opportunities just a minute in but Kutztown goalkeeper Katie Dotterweich was able to stop senior Tali Wehner (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) on the latter of the two chances to keep Bloomsburg off the scoreboard.

Barnard kept the Huskies in the game with four saves over the next 15 minutes and Bloomsburg rewarded her by getting on the board when sophomore Cheyenne Ott (Mount Bethel, Pa./Bangor) notched her first goal of the season in the 63rd minute to cut the Golden Bears' lead in half at 2-1. Junior Ali McKay (Dover, Del./Polytech) worked the ball into the circle and fired a shot towards the goal that Ott was able to redirect past Dotterweich. It was McKay's second assist of the season.

The Huskies, however, did not have any further chances the rest of the afternoon as the Golden Bears held on for the one-goal victory.

Kutztown held a 9-4 advantage in shots for the contest and led in the penalty corner department, 10-3. Barnard was credited with six saves on the afternoon as she dropped to 3-1 on the season. Dotterweich improved to 4-1 and only needed to make one save on the day.

Bloomsburg will look to bounce back on Tuesday, September 25, when it travels to Millersville University to battle the Marauders in a non-conference matchup. Start time is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

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