BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – A goal by Bloomsburg's Alivia Gallardo (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West) on the team's opening possession of the second half lifted the No. 22 Huskies to a 1-0 win over No. 14 Kutztown in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division showdown Wednesday evening at Steph Pettit Stadium.
 
Gallardo's goal was her first of the season, and it could not have come at a better time for the Huskies.
 
Bloomsburg (6-1-0, 4-1-0 PSAC East) and Kutztown (4-1-1, 3-1-1 PSAC East) were both held scoreless for the first 45 minutes of the game as both defenses shined and allowed a total of just three shots combined in the frame. The momentum then quickly shifted to the Huskies in the second half when Gallardo was able to send a shot into the back of the net just 33 seconds into play.
 
On the squad's opening possession of the second half, Gallardo sent a pass to Paige Harris (Danville, Pa./Danville Area) on the left wing and she was able to take the ball upfield and into position to send a cross into the box. Harris did just that, but her cross ricocheted off a Kutztown defender's foot and the ball was sent into the air directly towards the goalkeeper, who came out of the net to play the ball. When the ball fell a few yards in front of the goalkeeper, it took an untraditional high hop from the ricochet and she was unable to grab possession of the loose ball despite getting a hand on it. That's when Gallardo gathered the free ball off of the goalkeeper's deflection and gave it a solid kick into the back of the net for the score.
 
Bloomsburg kept up the pressure in the second half and got four more shots off in the remaining 44 minutes of play, but Gallardo's goal would be good enough to give the Huskies the win as both defenses held their opponents scoreless until the clock hit zero.
 
Kutztown had three shots in the second half, which tripled their offensive number in the first half. The team's first shot came from deep outside the box and sailed over the net. The Golden Bears then had two more shots on goal in the frame, but Bloomsburg goalkeeper Riley Spingler (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) was able to save both shot attempts to keep the Golden Bears off the scoreboard.  
 
Bloomsburg out shot Kutztown by a final count of 7-4. The Huskies also held the advantage in corner kicks, 7-2.
 
Bloomsburg's shutout win over Kutztown is the team's third straight and fifth on the season.
 
With the goal on Wednesday evening, Gallardo became the seventh different player to score a goal for the Huskies this season.
 
The No. 22 Huskies will be looking to keep its winning streak alive when they host Lock Haven (3-2-1, 1-2-1 PSAC East) on Saturday for another conference matchup. The game is scheduled to kick off at 1:00 PM and it is the first game of a doubleheader with the men's team.