Union, NJ – Two weeks ago the Montclair State field hockey team handed Kean its first loss of the season 3-2 at Alumni Stadium. On Wednesday evening the Cougars returned the favor. With the stakes much higher this time around, top-seeded and 10^th-ranked Kean ousted the No. 8 and fourth-seeded Red Hawks by the identical score in the semifinals of the NJAC Field Hockey Championship.

Kayla Molnar scored 6:52 into the second half that turned out to be the difference as Kean (19-1) advanced to the championship game where it will host No. 3 and second-seeded The College of New Jersey on Saturday, November 4.

KELLY WATSON and KAITLYN STRUSS each had goals for Montclair State (16-3), which was looking to return to the conference title contest for a second consecutive year. The Red Hawks must now play the waiting game to see if it can secure one of the at-large berths into the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship. The announcement of the tournament field is set for Sunday, November 5.

The Red Hawks took a 1-0 lead 10:15 into the contest. AMBER HASLETT drove a shot off a penalty corner that was stopped by the Cougars' Megan Houser. The carom came out to Watson, who banged in the rebound for her fourth goal of the season.  Kean answered 80 seconds later as Krista LaMaina converted a penalty stroke goal, her 23^rd.

Defense would take center stage the remainder of the half as each team had limited opportunity. MSU had two shots both of which were blocked as was an attempt by the Cougars. Kean got two more chances late in the half however Red Hawk keeper KAITLIN MAGUIRE stopped back-to-back attempts with three minutes left before intermission.

Maguire made a stop to open the second half but couldn't get to the next one as Shauna LaMaina gave the Cougars the lead less than four minutes into the half. Off the corner, Rachel Mills slid a pass over to LaMaina, who scored off a high shot putting Kean in front 2-1.

The lead grew to 3-1 two minutes later on Molnar's seventh of the season. Maguire made two saves but the Cougars were able to maintain possession and capitalized as Mills picked up a rebound and tapped it over to Molnar who finished the feed for the two-goal advantage with 28:08 to play.

Montclair was able to trim the lead back to a goal as Struss converted a penalty stroke for her 16^th of the year with 25:47 remaining. But the Red Hawks only mustered two shots the rest of the way both of which were blocked.

Maguire finished with nine saves for the Red Hawks who were outshot in the contest, 19-11.