Ewing, NJ - The No. 9 Messiah College Falcons field hockey team dropped a 4-2 decision to No. 2 The College of New Jersey Lions on Sunday afternoon. Messsiah took a 2-1 lead into the half, but TCNJ dominated the second-half and scored three unanswered goals to give the Lions a berth into the Final Four next weekend. Messiah's goals were scored by Carissa Gehman on a penalty stroke and Moriah Pfautz.
 
With the loss Messiah's season comes to an end in the Elite 8, the Falcons finish the year with a 16-6 overall record.
 
After the Lions and Falcons 1-0 overtime game on Sept. 19th, Sunday's meeting felt like an offensive explosion. The Lions struck first in the back and forth period. Just 6:49 into the contest Danielle Andreula scored an unassisted goal. On the possession, Shelby Landes saved back-to-back shots by Alicia Wagner before the ball came to Andreula who scored to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.
 
While the early goal could have been a deflating moment for the Falcons, Messiah countered with a goal of their own just 30 seconds later. After the restart, Moriah Pfautz sent a long ball overhead to Carissa Gehman. Gehman controlled the ball and carried it into the circle for a one-on-one chance with the TCNJ goalie. Before she had a chance to get a shot off, Gehman was taken down from behind and was awarded a penalty stroke. Gehman converted her penalty stoke, her second in as many games, and tied the game at 1-1.
 
Messiah stuck again on their next quality opportunity eight minutes later. Off a penalty corner, Moriah Pfautz took a shot from the left side but it was saved. The rebound came right back to her and she fired a second shot that was also saved. The third time was the charm for Pfautz and she took a third crack at goal, this time connecting to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead.
 
The Flacons controlled the majority of the remaining 20 minutes in the half. Messiah earned two more penalty corners and took another shot, but the could not find a third goal. With just seconds left in the half, the Lions had a very dangerous opportunity to tie the game heading into the break. TCNJ earned three untimed penalty corners, but they were unable to find the back of the cage. Their final shot of the half sailed just high of the cage and Messiah took a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
 
 Heading into the break, Messiah held a slight edge with five shots to the Lions' four. All of that changed in the second-half as Messiah struggled to hold possession against a tenacious Lions' attack.
 
TCNJ earned four penalty corners in the first four minutes of the second-half and quickly evened the match at two on a shot from Taylor Barrett. The Lions continued to pressure, scoring again on a penalty corner in the 52nd minute, this goal off the stick of Elizabeth Morrison.
 
The Lions fourth, and final, goal came off of yet another penalty corner in the 60th minute. Lexi Smith scored her 17th goal of the season to put the game out of reach for the Falcons.
 
Messiah would fall 4-2 after not registering a shot in the second-half.
 
In the second-half alone, the Lions earned 12 penalty corners against the Falcons' zero.
 
For the game the Lions outshot the Falcons 13-5 and earned more penalty corners 16-3.
 
As mentioned the loss ends the Falcons season. Messiah finishes the season with a 16-6 record. With the win, TCNJ advances to the Final Four for the second-straight season. The Lions will face Middlebury on Saturday in the National Semifinal.