EWING, N.J. – The College of New Jersey field hockey team jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead and tacked on an insurance goal late in the second half to earn a 3-0 victory  over Keystone College in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament Wednesday night. The seventh-ranked Lions improved to 15-4 on the season, while the Giants ended their year at 14-5.
 
Tori Tiefenthaler got the Lions on the board early on a corner. Tiefenthaler made the insert, then received a pass on the post from Cayla Andrews before firing into the cage to give the Lions an early lead. Andrews then extended the lead with a beautiful chip over the sprawling Keystone goalie. Andrews now has seven points in five career NCAA Tournament games.
 
The Lions kept the pressure on in the second half, building up a 42-1 shot advantage, but 26 saves by Emily Hawkins and three defensive saves by Daphne Leenas kept the game within reach.
 
The Lions would break through with a late insurance goal off a penalty corner. Kayla Peterson hit Jordan Allegretto, who produced the final score.
 
Maddie Beaumont stopped the only shot she faced on the night for the shutout. The back line of Sidney Padilla, Lauren Cammarata, and Jackie Schwartz combined to allow just the single shot and a single defensive penalty corner in the game.
 
The Lions will now travel to Middlebury, Vt., where they will take on sixth-ranked Vassar College Saturday at 2:00 p.m.