Ewing, NJ…In one of the toughest weeks of the season, The College of New Jersey field hockey team responded two big wins with the latter of those victories coming on Saturday as the Lions upended fifth-ranked Messiah College, 2-1.

The team started the week with a victory at seventh-ranked Ursinus College by that same score as TCNJ has now won both of its games against teams ranked in the top 10. Saturday's win over the Falcons was the sixth straight for the 15th-ranked Lions as they improved to 8-1 on the season.

The loss knocked Messiah to 5-3.

TCNJ didn't waste any time in jumping out in front as senior Alex Okuniewicz (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) scored just 1:18 into the game. Okuniewicz's goal came on a penalty corner with junior Christy Wham (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) picking up the assist on the play.

The Falcons came within inches of tying the game late in the first half as senior Kourtney Ehly (Boiling Springs, PA/Boiling Springs) sent a shot off of the far post that was quickly cleared away by TCNJ's defense.

The Lions added what turned out to be a much-needed insurance goal 8:49 into the second half as Wham again was the catalyst in getting the home team on the board. This time she set up Erin Healy (Spring Lake Heights, NJ/Manasquan) as the freshman deflected in a shot by Wham. That goal tied Healy for the team lead with six.

The Falcons battled back and pulled to within a goal with 11:41 remaining as Kelly Martin (Lititz, PA/Ephrata) collected her first of the season with an assist from Ehly.

That would be as close as Messiah would as the quartet of Leigh Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape), Healy, Erin Waller (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.), and Camille Passucci (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls) each helped keep the ball pinned deep in the Messiah end of the field for the final three minutes and not allowing the Falcons a chance to net the equalizer.

Lion goalie Shannon Syciarz (Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) finished with five saves as she garnered her 50th career win.

In goal for Messiah, Molly Gebrosky (Latrobe, PA/Milton Hershey) stopped four TCNJ shots.

TCNJ returns to New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Tuesday, October 4 hosting Ramapo College at 7:30 p.m.