Watch Full Game Replay

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Kristin Donohue notched the game-winner in the 46th minute and No. 1 Messiah field hockey held No. 3 The College of New Jersey to just two shots as the Falcons advanced to the 10th National Championship game in program history with a 1-0 win on Friday evening in the semifinals.
 
After a slow opening period, the Falcons really turned it on over the final 35 minutes, outshooting the Lions 10-1 and earning an astonishing 13 penalty corners to none for TCNJ.
 
This was the fifth time in history that Messiah and TCNJ squared off in the National Semifinal, and with the win the Falcons now have a 3-2 advantage in the series. All five of those contests were decided by one goal apiece, including two overtime games.
 
Grind it Out
The strength of the two team's defenses was evident right from the start, as only one shot was even attempted over the first 17 minutes of the game. That lone shot turned out to be one of TCNJ's only offensive threats in the semifinal, as off a penalty corner in the 5th minute, Kayla Peterson's rip from the top of the circle sailed wide left.
 
The Falcons finally got their first shot on the stat sheet in the 18th minute, as a Carissa Gehman turnaround blast was blocked by a defender. Over the next few minutes, Messiah began to pressure the Lions defense with three penalty corners, but could not put a shot on goal. The best attempt of the half came in the 26th minute when Kaylor Rosenberry juked a defender on the far baseline and sent a great pass across the circle to a cutting Kezia Loht, but the pass was deflected off a TCNJ defender just before Loht could get a stick on it.
 
TCNJ received another opportunity with a penalty corner less than four minutes before the break, but a centering pass was deflected away and cleared by Loht to end the threat, and the Falcons and Lions went into halftime scoreless.
 
Penalty Corner -> Messiah
All season long, Messiah has been one of the best teams in Division III in earning penalty corners (12.1 per game, fourth in nation) and it showed in the second-half, as it seemed like Taylor Holt was sending the ball in from the corner every minute. In reality, the Falcons earned 13 corners in the half, and 16 total in the game. For a bit of perspective, in the second-half Messiah earned roughly one penalty corner every two minutes and forty seconds.
 
After two were earned in the first six minutes of the period, the onslaught really began at the 43:49 mark, as Messiah earned five penalty corners in a span of 100 seconds. However, the Lion defense stepped up under pressure, holding the Falcons to just two shots from those five corners. What was even more impressive, though, was how those two attempts were saved, as TCNJ defender Sidney Padilla was able to save both off the goal line after goalie Christina Fabiano left her position and came out to challenge Gehman on the shots.
 
Finally
After the second defensive save by Padilla, the ball deflected towards the near corner of the field where Kristin Donohue was able to retrieve and keep it in play. Donohue's first attempted cross into the box was knocked right back to her stick, so she wound up and sent in a stronger one with hopes of finding a Falcon teammate in the crowd of players in front of the cage.
 
As it turned out, she didn't need any help, as her cross deflected off a defender, then off the keeper, and finally thudded into the back of the cage to break the deadlock and give Messiah a 1-0 lead with 24 minutes to play in regulation.
 
Keep the Pressure Coming
With the newfound momentum from the first score of the contest, the Falcons were hungry for a second goal, holding the ball on their attacking end for much of the remainder of the game. Messiah earned seven more penalty corners over the final 20 minutes and put five shots on goal, but all five were saved by Fabiano.
 
Defense Holds Strong
With their season nearing its end, the Lions manufactured a pair of late chances in the last five minutes. After a steal in the midfield, two TCNJ players started a 2-on-2 breakaway that was sustained all the way into the Falcons' defensive circle. However, Shayna Landis did what she does best, cleanly and deftly picking the pocket of the Lion forward and clearing away the threat.
 
TCNJ managed one final shot with exactly two minutes left on the clock, but Kayla Peterson's attempt was wide left, and the Falcons held on for the 2-1 victory and berth in the National Championship.
 
Messiah keeps their perfect season intact at 22-0 and extends their incredible win streak to 44 games. The Lions finish their season with a record of 17-4.
 
Next Up
The Falcons now await No. 2 Middlebury College, who defeated No. 10 Franklin & Marshall College 2-1 in overtime in the nightcap. The championship contest will be held on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. at the University of Louisville's Trager Field.