Box Score   l  Photo Gallery

NOTE (10/18): ESU has secured its 8th PSAC Tournament berth in the last 11 seasons (3x defending champions)

EAST STROUDSBURG - Sophomore midfielder Nicole Abbott scored the game's only goal in the 59th minute as East Stroudsburg University knocked off No. 4-ranked Kutztown, 1-0, in PSAC women's soccer on Wednesday night at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

Abbott, making her first career start, scored on a scramble in front of goal after Kutztown goalkeeper Jenna Bracken (10 saves) stopped a long distance shot by ESU sophomore midfielder Danielle Cary, giving the Warriors the lead with just over 30 minutes remaining.

ESU (10-3-2, 10-3-1), which held a 22-13 advantage in shots, held off a late Kutztown push as the Golden Bears hit the crossbar off a corner kick in the final 10 seconds.

Kutztown falls to 13-2 (11-2) with its second straight 1-0 loss after an unbeaten start, which ended Sunday vs. IUP. KU, the defending Atlantic Region champion and a national semifinalist last year, had been ranked No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches poll two weeks ago, dropped to No. 2 last week and to No. 4 this week after the setback on Sunday.

The No. 4-ranked Golden Bears are the third-highest ranked opponent the Warriors have taken down in program history, previously upending No. 1 Gannon in 2015 (4-2) and No. 3 Slippery Rock in 2004 (2-0), also at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

ESU senior goalkeeper Jules Harris made four saves and set ESU's career record for goalkeeper minutes played (6,887:51), surpassing Stacy Linzenbold, who played 6,810 minutes from 1995-98.

Harris, a three-time All-Region selection who entered with a 0.63 goals against average this fall, had her eighth overall shutout and sixth solo shutout of the season. She extended her school records to 36 shutouts (30 solo) in 76 career starts.

Abbott's goal was her third of the season, fourth of her career and first career game-winning goal.

ESU has won two of its three straight PSAC championships against Kutztown and improved to 6-2 vs. the Golden Bears since 2012. The Warriors won 1-0 at Eiler-Martin Stadium in 2014, and rallied from an early goal for a 2-1 win (at West Chester) last season.

The last six meetings at Eiler-Martin have all been decided by a 1-0 scoreline, with ESU winning five times.

ESU improves to 10-5-4 vs. nationally-ranked opponents since the start of the 2014 season, and 2-1-1 this fall. The Warriors are 5-0-1 vs. ranked teams at Eiler-Martin in that stretch.

The win is ESU's 60th in the last four years, improving to 60-16-7 and extending the program record for wins by a four-year class. West Chester (62-10-4), ESU and Kutztown (59-18-2) are the PSAC's top programs in that span, with the Warriors winning all three PSAC championships.

ESU was listed No. 5 in the initial NCAA DII Atlantic Region rankings, released earlier Wednesday. Kutztown was ranked No. 2 behind WV Wesleyan (13-0-1).

The Warriors host Edinboro (5-6-3, 4-6-3), which fell 6-5 at Seton Hill on Wednesday, on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. as part of Homecoming Weekend.


NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings
1. WV Wesleyan (13-0-1)
2. Kutztown (13-1)
3. West Chester (10-2-1)
4. Gannon (9-2-2)
5. East Stroudsburg (9-3-2)
6. Slippery Rock (9-4-1)
7. Notre Dame (Ohio) (9-3-2)
8. Seton Hill (10-4-1)