Box Score LEXINGTON, Va. – Middlebury scored two early goals as the No. 2-ranked TCNJ field hockey squad fell 4-1 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals at Washington & Lee University on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lions conclude their season at 20-2, the second straight year that the squad hit the 20-win mark. No. 3 Middlebury (19-2) moves on to the national championship game, and will face top-ranked Bowdoin.
 
The Panthers got on the board 4:09 into the game on a Pam Schulman goal off of a penalty corner. They went up 2-0 just over five minutes later when Grace Jennings found Annie Leonard for the tally.
 
Middlebury added one more before the halftime break with an unassisted score from Caroline Knapp at 28:33.
 
The Lions had a few opportunities just before halftime with three shots in a two-minute span. Elizabeth Morrison sent the ball toward the cage at 28:57 but Middlebury keeper Emily Miller came up with the save. Taylor Barrett took a penalty corner a minute later and found Lexi Smith for an opportunity. Smith rocketed the ball in but the shot was blocked. Twelve seconds later, Jaclyn Douglas took a shot past Miller but Middlebury's Jillian Green picked up a defensive save to keep the Lions off the board.
 
Middlebury added one more goal early in the second stanza with Schulman's second of the game.
 
The Lions solved the Middlebury defense in the 64th minute. Morrison sent the ball into the circle and Alicia Wagner picked it up and redirected it into the cage on the far post.
 
That the last offensive opportunity for either team in the game for the final 4-1 score.
 
The Panthers edged the Lions 8-6 in shots and 3-2 in penalty corners.
 
Miller made one save between the pipes for Middlebury, while TCNJ's Kelly Schlupp recorded four saves.
 
The Lions concluded a strong season which saw them ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division III for a handful of weeks. The team scored 88 goals this season, the ninth best total in program history. Smith wrapped up her junior season with 52 points on 21 goals and 10 assists to rank 11th all-time in program history in single-season points.