ANNVILLE, Pa. - The 17th-ranked TCNJ field hockey team saw its late-game luck come to an end in the Lions' match against Lebanon Valley Saturday afternoon, scoring two goals in the final seven minutes to force overtime before falling 3-2 in a shootout.
 
TCNJ (6-2) found itself with a pair of chances early coming off the stick of Mackenzie Hart, but the junior's shots from point-blank range were both denied by the Flying Dutchmen's Ella Weidenhammer.
 
After the Lions controlled the run of play for much of the first – TCNJ outshot Lebanon Valley 4-1 in the frame – it was the Flying Dutchmen converting on a turnover in the midfield and scoring the game's opening goal 10 minutes into the second to take a 1-0 lead that would hold to the end of the half.
 
Eager to level things TCNJ held a 3-1 advantage in shots on goal out of the halftime break, but the one chance was all Lebanon Valley needed to double its lead and take a 2-0 advantage into the fourth quarter. Following a pair of late goals in their contests against Swarthmore and Ursinus, however, the Lions had become accustomed to some end-game dramatics, and made no exception in Saturday' bout.
 
First to strike was Rachael Tetzlaff in the 53rd minute. The sophomore took a feed from Lindsey Hoffman off a corner insert and carried the ball to her right before firing a shot that snuck past Weidenhammer and in for her first score of the season. Three minutes later it was Hoffman striking for the equalizer, collecting the ball off a save and lifting it beautifully into the far corner to level things at two with just over three minutes to go.
 
TCNJ had one final chance off a corner at the 59:30 mark but were unable to get a shot off, sending the game to overtime. After neither side could find the cage in either extra period, the contest was sent to a penalty shootout in which the Flying Dutchmen won 3-2 to claim the win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Lions outshot Lebanon Valley 17-13 including a 10-7 advantage in shots on frame.
• TCNJ also held a commanding 15-6 lead in corners.
• Jadyn Huff, Hoffman, Hart and Emma McElroy all finished with a team-best two shots on target.

NOTES

• Hoffman's goal and assist were both the first of her collegiate career in what was just the freshman's second-ever start.
• Brigitte Racey made five saves for the Lions in the loss, her fifth straight game reaching at least that mark.

UP NEXT

• TCNJ is back home Wednesday, Oct. 1 to take on Albright, with game time set for 4 p.m.