By Zach Payne

The Kutztown University women’s lacrosse team came up short against East Stroudsburg University on Saturday, March 22, losing 14-3. The Golden Bears (2-3, 0-1 PSAC) couldn’t keep up with ESU’s dynamic offensive assault as the Warriors (6-0, 1-0 PSAC) cruised to a double-digit win to remain undefeated and pick up their first conference win of the season.

KU had been riding a two-game winning streak after defeating Young Harris College (Ga.) 19-6 and Coker College (S.C.) 12-7 over spring break. They ran into a brick wall when they faced the undefeated East Stroudsburg squad.

East Stroudsburg was in command from the start. They scored two goals in the first minute of play and added another eight for a total of 10 first half goals. Defensively, ESU didn’t surrender a goal until the second half, when Kutztown scored the first two goals of the period.

Although the Golden Bears clamped down on defense, allowing only four goals in the second half, they couldn’t muster up the offense to make it a close game.

KU sophomore Taylor Sandin scored the first goal for the Golden Bears after recovering a ground ball dropped by ESU’s keeper. Fellow sophomore Brielle Dickey and junior Taylor Stone scored KU’s other two goals of the game on free-position shots.

Sandin also secured five of the Golden Bears’ seven draw controls and senior midfielder Krystine Beodeker led the team with two forced turnovers.

JoAnn McLaughlin saved 12 shots for KU. She played the first 52:30 and then gave way to Abby Cox, who finished up the last seven and a half minutes in goal and recorded three saves of her own.

ESU’s Annastasia Porpora and Nicole Smith each notched three goals in their big win. Porpora’s hat-trick came in the first half. Goalkeeper Jessica Maxwell was credited with the win, amassing 18 saves with three goals-against.

The Golden Bears will return to action on Tuesday, March 25 when they open up a three-game home stint starting with West Chester University. From here on out, all of KU’s games will be in conference play. Tuesday’s game will begin at 4 p.m. at Keystone Field.