Montclair, NJ... The College of New Jersey women's lacrosse team remained the only undefeated program in league play as the Lions pulled away from Montclair State University 19-9 on Saturday.
 
The two schools entered the game as the only two teams left unbeaten in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, but by the end of the game the fourth-ranked Lions put themselves in the driver's seat in the race for the top seed in the conference tournament. TCNJ is 4-0 in league play with two games remaining and they hold the tiebreaker with the Red Hawks, who are 4-1. The win by the Lions also knocked Montclair State from the ranks of the undefeated as they fell to 14-1 and TCNJ moved to 12-1.
 
This year the conference will feature a post-season tournament to determine the league's championship for the first time. The top two seeds will host semifinal games with the highest remaining seeds battling it out for a bid to the 2014 NCAA Division III Tournament on May 3.
 
The Lions broke the game open at the start of the second half scoring five straight goals in a shade over eight minutes. Junior Kendal Borup (Plainsboro, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South) scored an even minute into the new half and 54 seconds later sophomore Cortney Natalicchio (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) pushed the margin to 9-6. Junior Ava Fitzgerald (Merrick, NY/Calhoun) tallied the next two goals with junior Erin Healy (Spring Lake Heights, NJ/Manasquan) capped off that run with her second goal of the game. That goal came with 21:55 showing on the clock.
 
The Red Hawks scored their first goal of the new half just over a minute, but once again the Lions had answer. This time they scored three straight goals to balloon the advantage to 15-7 with senior Lauren Pigott (Jobstown, NJ/Northern Burlington), Borup, and senior Jen Garavente (Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.) scoring in succession. Borup and Garavente's goals came only 14 seconds apart.
 
That eight-goal difference was more than enough for TCNJ's defense to protect the rest of the way as outscored their hosts 4-2 the rest of the way and held an overall 12-3 edge in the second half.
 
Fitzgerald had a big game with six goals and two assists and Borup scored four times and assisted on another. Pigott was all over the field for the Lions scoring three goals, picking up an assist, scooping up seven ground balls, collecting five draw controls, and forcing four turnovers.
 
The first half was close throughout as the teams were tied four times before the Lions eventually held a 7-6 advantage. The Red Hawks opened the scoring, but Fitzgerald scored back-to-back goals and Healy made it 3-1.
 
Montclair counter punched with three straight goals of their own to leapfrog the Lions for a 5-4 lead, but the visitors closed out the opening frame scoring three of the last four goals for that 7-6 advantage.
 
TCNJ goalie Kelly Schlupp (Holland, PA/Council Rock South) posted her 11^th win of the season with three saves.
 
The Lions continue their three-game road swing on Tuesday, April 23 heading to Richard Stockton College for another conference contest. This marks the first meeting between the schools as the Ospreys are in their inaugural season as a Division III program.