MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – A second half goal from freshman Michelle Belcher was all the Millersville Marauders needed to defeat Kutztown 1-0 at Pucillo Field on Wednesday evening. It was the first PSAC action of the 2019 season and the Marauders defense held strong, kept a clean sheet and kept the team's unbeaten record intact.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• The majority of the first half was played back and forth in the midfield. One of Millersville's best chances came in the 30th minute when Michelle Belcher crossed the ball into box, allowing Talia Grynkewicz and Kay Liebl to run onto it. Kutztown goalkeeper Jenna Bracken won the footrace and got there first to end the threat.

• The game opened up in the second half. In the 52nd minute Grynkewicz had an open look towards goal. Just before the ball tucked inside the post a sliding defender got a touch on it and allowed Jenna Bracken to parry it away.

• The moment for Millersville came in the 60th minute. Grynkewicz charged toward the Kutztown penalty box and was dispossessed, but the ball fell right to freshman Michelle Belcher. She cut the ball back beautifully and sent her left foot through the ball, angling the shot perfectly toward goal and past the diving Bracken to put the Marauders in front.
 
• The Golden Bears had a chance to equalize in the 70th minute when Savanna Harrison stormed down the right wing and crossed it to the head of Kutztown striker Emily Zwiercan. The ball zoomed toward goal but freshman Reagan Kolinski was there to grab it and preserve the Marauders' lead.

POST GAME REACTION FROM HEAD COACH MATT PROCOPIO

• On the gritty win: "Always great to get a win. Great start to conference play. Proud of the team's performance tonight, they played well."
• On Michelle Belcher's goal and how it changed the game: "Shelly was able to find a goal with a great finish. She showed great composure out there as a young player in her first conference game. After the goal we were on the back foot for a bit and then really had to push to finish the game out."
• On tonight's stalwart defensive performance: "Defensively I thought we did a great job as a team. Our back four had an excellent game dealing with everything that was thrown at them especially having to deal with a bunch of counter attacks."
• On what the victory means moving forward: "Our performance tonight was huge for us as a team. We have had some good moments but had yet to really put it together for 90 minutes. Again, very proud of the girls and happy for them. A positive result will definitely help our confidence but we do need to stay grounded as it is only our first conference game."

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
• Grynkewicz led the Marauders in shots for the second straight game. She fired off five total (two of them on frame) to follow up a nine-shot performance from last Thursday against Salem University.
• Michelle Belcher added four shots (the only one on target was the game-winning goal). Kylie Sullivan, Morgan Winchock and Lauren Downey each launched two shots in the game.
• Freshman Reagan Kolinski made her second straight start in goal and was called upon to make two saves.

NOTES
• The Marauders outshot Kutztown 17-9 and held the corner kick advantage as well, 9-3.
• Millersville has now started the season 2-0 for the second straight year. The team ran an unbeaten start to 4-0 in 2018 before losing its first game to Kutztown, 2-1.
• The Millersville victory tonight breaks a two-game Kutztown winning streak in the season series. The Marauders are now 10-18-4 all-time versus the Golden Bears. Head coach Matt Procopio improves to 2-3 all-time against KU.
• The two teams face off again in exactly two weeks on September 25, 3:00 p.m. at Kutztown.

UP NEXT
• The Marauders hit the road to Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pa. on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 12 p.m.  The Marauders faced the Rams in the 2018 opening game and defeated them 6-0.