TCNJ-William Smith Box Score
Middlebury-Messiah Box Score
Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey and Middlebury College each advanced to the regional finals in the 2007 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championships with the host Lions handling William Smith College, while the Panthers needed overtime to slip past Messiah College on Saturday.
TCNJ used a quick-strike offense to ground the Herons by the score of 5-1, while Middlebury's Reid Berrien (Westport, CT/Greens Farms Academy) scored 8:25 into overtime to knock off Messiah College 4-3 in overtime.
The regional title game is slated for Sunday, November 11 at 1 p.m. in Lions' Stadium.
TCNJ 5, William Smith 1
The Lions (17-2) scored three times in less than three minutes midway through the opening half to jump out to a commanding lead of the Herons.
Junior Katie Reuther (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) opened the scoring for TCNJ taking advantage of a penalty stroke for her 13th goal of the season. That goal came 17:09 into the game.
Sophomore Jessica Falcone (Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic) kept the Lions going as she tallied twice within a span of 58 seconds putting the hosts in front 3-0. The first of Falcone's two goals was assisted by Sheri Grondski (Mercerville, NJ/Nottingham) with Leigh Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) setting up the latter.
In the second half, TCNJ scored 1:25 into the new period as Mary Waller (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright) scored off of a loose ball on a penalty corner.
The final goal for the Lions came when Reuther set up Mitchell for her team-leading 16th of the season.
William Smith (16-5) spoiled the shutout with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game as Brittany Furlong (Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia) scored her ninth goal of the season on an assist from Kelsey Landahl (Delevan, NY/Pioneer).
TCNJ goalie Caitlin Gregory (Winslow, NJ/Eastern) made five saves in goal for the Lions, while Katie DeKraker (Westport, CT/Staples) finished with four for the Herons.
Middlebury 4, Messiah 3 OT
The Panthers (15-4) netted their second straight win in the tournament as Berrien scored her 21st goal of the season midway through overtime on an assist from Lacey Farrell (Greenwich, CT/Greenwich Academy).
Both teams had their offense clicking early as Messiah (14-5) opened the scoring 5:23 into the game as Nikki Bailey (Elliottsburg, PA/West Perry) scored.
Messiah's lead was short lived as the Panthers go the goal back just over four minutes later as Marnie Rowe (Harwich, MA/Harwich) tallied from Berrien.
It only took 56 seconds for the Falcons to regain the lead on a Lindsey Hunter (Unity, ME/Mt. View) tally, but Middlebury pulled even by the half as Lindsay McBride (Old Greenwich, CTGreenwich) lifted a shot into the Messiah net knotting the game at two.
The Panthers took their first lead of the game 2:21 into the second half when Rowe notched her second of the game putting back a rebound, but Messiah forced overtime when Elizabeth Ziegler (Myerstown, PA/Eastern Lebanon County) scored with 11:32 left in regulation.
Messiah goalie Ashley Mowery (Mechanicsburg, PA/Northern) finished with 14 saves, while Middlebury's Caitlin Pentifallo (River Edge, NJ/River Dell) collected three.
