MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - The Millersville field hockey team keeps saying that it takes one game at a time, but Wednesday's convincing 5-1 win over fifth-ranked Kutztown felt different. The Marauders struck early and warded off numerous Kutztown chances in the second half with business-like defense to pick up its first win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season.

The pregame scouting report showed two evenly matched, defensive-minded teams as Millersville and Kutztown, standing right next to each other in the national rankings, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in Division II in goals-against average. Kutztown had not allowed more than two goals in any game all season, but Millersville hit that number just four minutes into the game. 

Sol Ortiz-Kreiner  came off the bench to convert a penalty stroke at the 1:04 mark, and Pili Zaballa scored the first of her two goals less than three minutes later.

Millersville improved its record to 10-1 overall and 3-1 in PSAC play while also moving to 8-0 at home. The game was just the third true road game of the season for Kutztown, which dropped to 8-2 overall and 2-1 in league play. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Millersville onslaught started immediately. Zaballa's attack toward the cage drew a corner 45 seconds in. Off the corner, Ashlynn Lennon's shot was saved, but Bri Harsh gathered the rebound and lifted a shot over the keeper into the body of a Kutztown defender, drawing a penalty stroke. Ortiz -Kreiner entered and buried the shot in the lower right corner. 
• Harsh generated offense for the Marauders against just four minutes in, feeding Zaballa for a 2-0 Millersville lead. 
• Kutztown cut into the Millersville lead with 6:38 remaining in the first quarter, following up an Alyssa Donato shot that had been saved. But Millersville extended its lead back to two when Georgia Werkiser brushed a pass to her left to the waiting stick of Brynne Ehrlacher, who beat the keeper to the left. 
• Millersville's defense weathered Kutztown's frantic attack in the second half. The Golden Bears totaled five corners in the third quarter and six more in the fourth, but the defense, led by three-time All-PSAC selection Meredith Fagan, limited Kutztown's second chances, and Kerstin Koons stopped all four shots placed on goal. 
• Zaballa extended Millersville's lead with 12:19 left in the game. Off a penalty corner, Morgan Saunders collected the insert and hit a rocket that Zaballa stopped on the right post. Zaballa won possession in a one-on-one battle with a defender and slipped the ball through to the back of the cage. Kristin Strijdom added her third goal of the season with just over six minutes remaining, following up her own shot and scoring on a second effort. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Millersville held a slight 14-13 advantage in shots, but put 10 on goal, compared to Kutztown's six. Kutztown totaled 17 corners to Millersville's 10. 
• Koons finished with five saves. 
• Harsh, Werkiser and Saunders were credited with assists. 
• It was a physical, high-energy game with officials handing out eight cards, including four yellows. 

REACTION FROM COACH SHELLY BEHRENS
• On winning by a four-goal margin: "I wasn't expecting 5-1, but I said to myself today, 'if they can compete, I can coach them.' All I wanted them to do was focus on what was in front of them. We are a day-to-day team. We had a lot of things go against us but we responded well, covered for each other, and stood up to a tough test."
• On the difference in the game: "This is a very good and very dangerous Kutztown team. All it takes is one or two corners and boom, it's a different game. But our corner defense played well. Kerstin is playing well. We were very opportunistic with our chances. The score is the score, the rankings are the rankings. We want to play the game in front of us. We did that tonight and got the result."
• On getting the early lead: "I liked that we started quick. That was key. Today, Sol was who we were going to for the stroke. She hadn't been doing them well all week in practice, but we have faith in Sol in the game. She's playing D tonight, she played everywhere but in goal tonight."

NOTES
• Millersville has won 13 of the last 14 against Kutztown, and Wednesday's win exacted a measure of revenge for a 1-0 shootout loss in the teams' last meeting (2019). 
• The 10-1 start is Millersville's best through 11 games since the 2015 club started the season 13-0. Millersville also started 10-1 in 2014. 
• Harsh has now recorded at least one point in eight of 11 games. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville off until Tuesday, Oct. 12 when it travels to No. 1-ranked Shippensburg for a 4 p.m. start.