BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The No. 21 Bloomsburg women's soccer team fell 1-0 for its second consecutive match, with its result on Wednesday evening against Kutztown.

The Huskies (9-4-2, 6-4-2 PSAC East) could not overcome an early first-half goal from the Golden Bears (10-4-1, 8-4-1 PSAC East), as the visitors sat in an astute block to fend off Bloomsburg's efforts at scraping a positive result.

How It Happened:
Kutztown controlled possession for the majority of the opening 10 minutes on Wednesday, leading to the lone goal-scoring opportunity. In the eighth minute, the Golden Bears managed to switch the field from one outside back to another, as Sierra Hess' cross found Maura Day tucked just inside the 18-yard box. The junior floated a well-weighted shot into the top corner to grab the advantage. 

The Huskies' efforts to press forward in the remainder were unsuccessful, as the Golden Bears were able to maintain possession and frequently generate attacking maneuvers with it. Kutztown had a substantial presence in Bloomsburg's defensive third, recording four corner kicks in the first half and eight in total for the match. 

After halftime, the Huskies showed signs of life, showcasing increased intensity with their press to create opportunities unavailable in the first half. The Golden Bears looked for critical insurance, as Bloomsburg saw goalkeeper Samantha Merklin (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley) make three of her four saves for the contest in the second half. 

The Huskies nearly had their equalizer 68 minutes into the match, in part due to the efforts of Haley Bull (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia). The freshman collected a pass from Beth Stephens (Lacey Township, N.J./Marine Academy of Technology) before creating enough space for a clean look after beating a defender off the dribble. The attacker pulled the shot across her body, with the attempted left-footed finish spinning just too far off of goal and bouncing off the post for an initial clearance by Kutztown. Madelyn Blake (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) had an effort in the following seconds after cutting into the box off the subsequent throw-in. Bloomsburg ultimately came up empty in its most promising attack. 

The Huskies had several other close calls in the final third as the clock wound down to the final seconds. Emma Wilkinson (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) had an effort following a corner. A deflection in the box altered the path of the shot to the benefit of the Golden Bears. Bria Savage (Harpers Ferry, W. Va./Jefferson) looked to have a prominent opportunity for the equalizer off a rebound, as her volley attempt bounced off a defender and away from danger, leaving Bloomsburg without a response in the match.

Number of Note: 
1-0 - The Huskies have become familiar with a 1-0 final score across their 15 games played this season. Bloomsburg has seen seven 1-0 results following the conclusion of a match, possessing a record of 3-4 in those contests. The Huskies are 2-4 in such matches in PSAC action.

On the Horizon:
The Bloomsburg women's soccer team looks forward to its final road stretch of the regular season, beginning with a road trip to West Virginia to take on Shepherd at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 1.