Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State women's soccer team came within two minutes of a potential first-round home game in the NJAC Tournament however Kean University's late goal led to a 1-1 between the teams at MSU Soccer Park on Wednesday evening.

The Red Hawks (9-3-5, 4-2-3 NJAC) entered the day needing a victory and a win/loss result between Stockton and Rutgers-Camden to claim the No. 4 seed in the league tournament that begins on Saturday, October 27. Instead, Montclair will now be the fifth vseed and head to Rutgers-Camden for a 1:00 pm matchup with the Scarlet Raptors.

MSU and Rutgers-Camden played to a 1-1 tie back on September 15 in Camden as both squads scored four minutes apart inside the final 20 of the double-overtime contest.

While the tie hurt MSU's chances for a home game, it helped Kean (4-7-6, 2-3-4 NJAC), which grabbed the final playoff spot as the No. 6 seed. The Cougars will face Stockton in Galloway, NJ on Saturday in the first round.

Montclair State dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the Cougars 31-5 including 16-3 in the first half as the Cougars blocked several shots in the first 14 minutes keeping the game scoreless. Goalkeeper Mary Bystrycki collected a save against MICHAELA KNOBLOCK and later added another at the 30:30 mark scooping up an attempt by LINDSAY BATHMANN.

The Red Hawks' LINDSAY FREEWALT denied Brittany Birth with 11:18 left in the first half before Bystrycki collected two more saves against CHRISTINE MAYORGA with five minutes to play before halftime. Bystrycki tallied one more before Montclair broke through with 28 seconds remaining. Mayorga sent a cross from the right side the found its way onto the foot of MADDY MCLELLAND, who flipped a shot inside the left post for her second of the season.

The 1-0 lead would hold up until late in the second half despite Montclair holding a 12-2 advantage in shots. Bystrycki had five saves in the period and got some help from her defense in the 63^rd minute as a defender knocked away a header from EMILY DEGEYTER. Bystrycki recorded three of her saves over the next 23 minutes keeping Kean in the game until the final two minutes when the Cougars recorded the equalizer from freshman Madison Krianda who saved Kean's season with her first of the year.

Lauren Jurcsek served a corner kick down low in the box that bounced around before being deflected out to the top of the box where Krisanda fired a shot to the left post for the goal with 2:03 left.

Neither team put a shot on frame in the first overtime and each got a chance in the second. Freewalt pulled in an attempt by Emily Bretschneider 4:25 with Bystrycki handling a LEXINGTON WOLF shot three minutes later.