Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey field hockey team is getting hot at the right time of the season as the Lions closed out the home portion of the schedule with a 7-1 win over Manhattanville College on Thursday.

That win pushed the team's winning streak to seven straight with one game left in the regular season. TCNJ is 17-2 on the year and has already matched its win total from a year ago. The team has also garnered 11 of those wins on home turf.

Prior to the game, the Lions honored the five seniors playing in their final home contest for their hard work and dedication to the program. That talented group included Leigh Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape), Kathleen Notos (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic), Alex Okuniewicz (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South), Jessica Persicketti (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford), and Shannon Syciarz (Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson).

Junior Caitlyn Jenkins (Mickleton, NJ/Kingsway) provided the Lions with an early cushion as she tallied twice in a span of 2:16. The first of those goals came on a deflection of a shot from Okuniewicz, while the second was unassisted. Those goals came with 24:37 and 22:21 on the clock, respectively.

Junior Camille Passucci (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls) made it 3-0 with Okuniewicz again earning an assist, but the Valiants got that goal back less than two minutes later as Alyssa Nardone (Delran, NJ/Northern Valley Regional Demorest).

That goal brought an end to Syciarz's impressive scoreless streak as it was the first goal allowed by the Lion in 381:29.

Passucci regained that three-goal advantage for the hosts cashing in on an assist from Jenkins as TCNJ carried that 4-1 lead into the half.

In the second half, the Lions got on the board again as Erin Healy (Spring Lake Heights, NJ/Manasquan) dove and knocked in a short pass from Jenkins extending the lead to 5-1.

The scoring didn't end there are Passucci completed the hat trick with an unassisted goal with 19:24 remaining, while Jillian Nealon (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) closed things out five minutes later making the final 7-1.

In addition to Passucci's three goals, Jenkins had a big night with two goals and two assists.

Syciarz made one save as she tied a career high with her 17th win of the season.

TCNJ caps the regular season on Sunday, October 29 with a non-conference game at SUNY Cortland.