Montclair, NJ…The College of New Jersey field hockey team kept its unbeaten conference record en tact as the Lions picked up a big 1-0 win at Montclair State University on Saturday.

The win puts the sixth-ranked Lions at 4-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and 12-2 overall, while the seventh-ranked Red Hawks suffered their first loss season, falling to 14-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference.

Lions are now in the driver's seat and control their own destiny for securing the top-seed in the upcoming NJAC Tournament. This is the first year the conference will hold a tournament with the top two seeds hosting semifinal games on November 2, with the winners playing on November 5 at the highest remaining seed. The winner of the NJAC Tournament will receive an automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Division III Tournament.

Freshman Erin Healy (Spring Lake Heights, NJ/Manasquan) accounted for the only goal of the game as she picked up her eighth of the season with 5:03 left in the game. Healy knocked in a short pass from Leigh Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape).

Montclair State would get two more chances in the final five minutes. Brittany Carroll (Kingston, NY/Rondout Valley) was stymied by Syciarz on a shot in front with just over three minutes to play. Then with the clock winding down, MSU got the ball inside the circle for a last chance, but Lion goalie Shannon Syciarz (Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) was able to smother the shot with a sprawling stop as TCNJ held on for the one-goal victory.

Syciarz earned the win between the pipes, making five saves, while defender senior Alex Okuniewicz (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) contributed with a key defensive save in the opening half.

TCNJ will put its unbeaten conference record on the line again on Tuesday, October 18 hosting Kean University at 7:30 p.m.