Montclair, NJ – Senior midfielder Frances Schaefer (Egg Harbor City, NJ, Holy Spirit) scored twice and assisted on another goal as fourth-ranked and top-seeded Montclair State advanced to the New Jersey Athletic Conference Field Hockey Championship Game with a 6-1 victory over fourth-seeded William Paterson on Saturday.

Junior midfielder Jennifer Tafro (Little Falls, NJ, Passaic Valley) added a goal and assist as the Red Hawks reached the title game for the second straight season and host No. 2 seed Rowan for the league's championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, November 4 at 4:00 pm. MSU won the first meeting between the teams this season, 3-0 at Sprague Field on September 22.

Montclair State, which fell to The College of New Jersey in the inaugural championship game last year, is seeking its first conference crown. The Red Hawks (18-1) also extended its winning streak to 16 games as they defeated the Pioneers for the second time this season. Montclair posted a 3-1 win in Wayne on September 19.

Junior goalkeeper Kellye Statz (Robbinsville, NJ / Robbinsville) made five saves for William Paterson, which closed out its season at 8-12.

MSU outshot the Pioneers 21-2 in the contest but couldn't get a shot into the back of the cage until late in the first half. Statz made one save early and senior Shannon Thomas (Gloucester, NJ / Gloucester City) posted two defensive saves to keep the game scoreless until Schaefer collected the first of her two goals with 7:42 remaining knocking in a rebound following a save by Statz.

Three minutes later, the lead was extended to 2-0 on Tafro's 13th tally of the year as she finished off a feed from Brooke Hullings (Delran, NJ, Delran) at the 31:15 mark.

Leading 2-0 at the break it took the Red Hawks 71 seconds to add to its advantage. Off a restart, Tafro fired a shot from the top of the circle that Kate Norgard (Columbia, NJ, North Warren) deflected in for her 14th  of the season. Moments later the lead became 4-0 as Schafer put back a clear out by Statz for her second with 32:58 left in the second.

ALLISON JILLIONS (Hainesport, NJ / Holy Cross) scored from four yards out to give Montclair State a five-goal lead before William Paterson got on the board. Jessica Nendze (West Milford, NJ / West Milford) drove in from the left side before sliding a pass across to Angelica Giammetta (Wayne, NJ / Wayne Hills) who swept the ball inside the right post making the score 5-1 at 53:31 of the contest.

The Red Hawks answered right back with a goal three minutes later as Abby Erler (New Hampton, NH, Newfound Regional) drove a shot from the left side of the circle inside the near post for what turned out to be the final margin.

Montclair State recorded 15 penalty corners with William Paterson getting one.