Montclair, NJ - Junior forward Kaitlyn Struss scored 4:30 in the second half which turned out to be the only goal of the game as second-seeded Montclair State slipped past third-seeded Kean University, 1-0 in the semifinals of the NJAC Tournament at Sprague Field on Wednesday evening.

Junior goalkeeper KAITLIN MAGUIRE stopped three shots for her fifth shutout of the season as the Red Hawks advance to the NJAC Championship Game for the fourth time in the six years of the conference tournament.

MSU (16-4) will take on top-seeded The College of New Jersey at 1:00 pm in Ewing, NJ with the winner claiming the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship. TCNJ defeated fourth-seeded Rowan 3-1 in the other semifinal.

It will be the third time the Lions and Red Hawks meet for the NJAC crown with each winning once – TCNJ in 2011 and Montclair State in 2013.
Erin Smith had one save for Kean (16-3) which lost to Montclair for the second time this season. The Cougars also fell to the Red Hawks, 3-1 on October 19.

Opportunities were difficult to come by in the first half as MSU took all three shots with most of the action taking place between the circles.  AMBER HASLETT had a shot blocked 4:26 into the game with an attempt by ALEXIS AMBROSINO going high just shy of the 10-minute mark.

MSU's best chance came with 1:54 to play before half as DANIELLE BUTRICO moved in on the right side and ripped a shot that Smith kicked away.

In the second half, Montclair would break the scoreless game taking advantage of one of its six penalty corners. Struss collected the ball at the 5-yardline and drew the ball back out before sliding a shot inside the right post for her team-leading 13^th goal of the season.

Held without a shot through the first 46 minutes, Kean would get two great chances at the 47:10 mark on a penalty corner. Shauna LaMaina first a shot from the top of the circle that was kicked away by Maguire, who then stopped Katie-Lynne Lussier's follow-up shot on the right post.

Maguire came up once more with 13:05 left kicking out a shot from Jenna Patrone.