EWING, N.J. – The College of New Jersey field hockey team faced a deficit for the first time in 2019 Saturday afternoon. The fifth-ranked Lions responded, scoring in each of the game's final three quarters to defeat Messiah College 3-1. With the win, the Lions improve to 4-0 on the season. The seventh-ranked Falcons dropped to 2-3, with all three losses coming against ranked competition.
 
Messiah got off to a strong start, drawing a penalty corner in the game's first minute. Nicole Shank made the insert to Mackenzie Brubaker, who fired a blast from the top that found the back of the net. Lions goalie Maddie Beaumont made three saves in the opening quarter to keep the deficit at just one. Beaumont finished with 10 saves.
 
Kayla Peterson came within inches of tying the game early in the second quarter. The senior midfielder ripped a shot that beat the Falcons goalie, but the shot rang off the post. Minutes later Peterson took a corner insert from Jess Hatch and fired another shot that Tori Tiefenthaler deflected into the goal to knot the score.
 
"I just stuck to the basics," said Tiefenthaler. "I laid my stick down, and the ball went in. It was very simple, but that it how we have to play this game."
 
Just over a minute into the second half, it was Hatch who made the biggest play of her young career. The freshman took a backhanded shot that deflected off the goalies stick and into the net for what would end up being the game winning goal.
 
The Lions got their insurance goal early in the fourth quarter. Tiefenthaler made a cross crease pass that Sara Waldron put into the cage for her second of the season.
 
"It was a huge confidence boost for our team," said Tiefenthaler. "This gets us hyped for the next game and the game after that. We do still know that we can't get too fancy or too cocky. We always have respect for our opponents, but we know if we play our game and play with confidence that we will be in a position to win."
 
The Lions remain at home for a game Tuesday evening against Gwynned Mercy University. Game time is 4:30 p.m.