Women's Soccer | 11/22/2014 2:08:00 PM

Box Score Grantham, PA – The Montclair State women's soccer team battle top-ranked and undefeated Lynchburg College toe-to-toe however an early and late goal by the Hornets was the difference as the Red Hawks were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament with a 2-0 loss at Messiah College's Shoemaker Field on Saturday.

Senior goalkeeper GINA POLICASTRO finished with seven saves for the Red Hawks, who close out their year at 19-2-2. Lynchburg will face host Messiah College on Sunday for a berth in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship on December 5-6 in Kansas City, MO.

The loss was the first for Montclair State since the season opener on August 29 when the Red Hawks fell to Johns Hopkins 2-1 in the Seahawk Classic at St. Mary's College of Maryland. MSU was making its second straight Sectional Tournament appearance in its fifth NCAA Tournament trip.

The Hornets got on the board just under 10 minutes in the game as their best two offensive players combined on the score. Angela Bosco took a ball on the right side of the box and sent a cross down to the six yard line where a charging Dupuy was able to head it into the upper left portion of the net for her 27^th goal of the season.

The Red Hawks nearly got the goal back three minutes later. MARTINA LANDEKA sent a high-arching shot from the top of the box that bounced off the crossbar. The ball caromed back out in front to JENNIE HORNSTRA whose rebound attempt was deflected away by a defender.

Policastro would make a handful of routine saves over the next 20 minutes as Montclair State looked to get something going offensively again on the slippery pitch and did with 10 minutes remaining in the half as FRANCESCA GIBSON sent a ball from the right side across the lower portion of the box which created a virtual open net however the ball skipped away and was eventually cleared.

Gibson would get another chance this time with seven-plus minutes to go getting a step on a defender but her shot from the top of the box went high over the net.
In the second half, Montclair State began the period an early chance as Landeka got a ball at the top of the box but her attempt to set up a shot was kicked away.

Policastro came up with a huge save in the 55^th minute as Jade Woll made a run down the left side toward the left post before letting go a shot that Policastro flipped away with a hand save keeping the game within a goal.

Lynchburg came within inches of increasing its lead with 19 minutes remaining as Woll was the catalyst again crossing the ball near the left endline that Policastro punched away with a diving save. The ball bounced back in front to Bosco who tried to tap in the rebound but TYLER MADISON was there on the goal line to end the chance.

Lynchburg added an insurance goal with 5:31 to play as Dupuy got loose after a defender slipped on the frozen grass and deposited a shot inside the far post for the huge two-goal advantage.

This was the second time in three years that the Red Hawks and Hornets matched up in the NCAA Tournament. Two years ago, Lynchburg posted an identical 2-0 win over MSU in the second round in Virginia.