EWING, NJ – The Montclair State women's soccer team was topped 3-2 in double-overtime by No. 4/4 The College of New Jersey Friday evening in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship.

The top-seeded Lions (16-1-1) captured their 19th NJAC Championship overall and claim the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship, which begins next weekend. The Red Hawks (13-6-2) will wait to see if they will receive an at-large to the tournament during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday. Montclair became just the second team this season to score multiple goals against the Lions this year.

Montclair had the games first opportunity, as CALLIE BOHUS had her chance off a corner kick sail over the goal in the sixth minute. The Lions struck first, opening the scoring in the 13th minute. Gianna Coppola sent in a low cross, and Julianna Bertolino was on the opposite end to give TCNJ the 1-0 advantage. The Lions nearly doubled their lead in the 17th minute, but goalkeeper LINDSAY FREEWALT broke the play up.

TCNJ was able to find a second goal midway through the half after a Lions forward was taken down in the box. Kelly Carolan stepped up to the spot and beat Freewalt left to stretch the Lions lead to 2-0. The Red Hawk defense clamped down and surrendered just one shot the remainder of the half.

Freewalt kept the Red Hawks in the game, making saves in the 60th and 62nd minutes to keep the deficit at two. TCNJ was whistled for a handball in the box, and senior EMILY BEENDERS converted the penalty kick to cut the Lions lead in half with 25 minutes to go.

Montclair had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the 73rd minute, but rookie Chisom Onyewyenyi had a shot in close denied by Lions goalkeeper Nicole Dipasquale. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the second half, the Red Hawks found the tying tally. Beenders played a deep ball into rookie TORI ROLLS. Rolls chipped a shot that DiPasquale got a hand on but deflected into the back of the goal.

Freewalt was the difference in the first overtime period, denying consecutive shots in the 93rd minute as they progressed onto a second extra session. With 1:51 left in the second overtime, TCNJ was once again awarded a penalty kick with a foul occurring just inside the 18-yard box. Amelia Curtis delivered the game-winning penalty kick to claim the 3-2 victory.

Onyewyenyi and Beenders each recorded two shots, as Freewalt stopped seven shots, which were one off her season-high. Curtis and Bertolino each recorded five shots for the Lions.