Montclair, N.J. (10/24/12) – The #4 Montclair State University field hockey team used three second half goals to top Kean University by the final of 3-1, Wednesday evening in NJAC action.

The Cougars (8-10, 2-4 NJAC) fall out of contention for the NJAC tournament with the loss.  With the win, MSU improves to 16-1 overall and 6-0 in the NJAC and earns the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

Junior Korri Thompson scored the lone goal for Kean, which was looking for its second straight upset of a nationally-ranked team, after blanking #13 Rowan University on Saturday, 2-0.

Kean recorded just four shots in the game but scored on their first attempt. Off a penalty corner, Thompson (pictured left) inserted a ball to the top of the circle. Junior Stephanie Soares fired a shot to the left post where Thompson batted into the back of the cage 5:31 in to the contest. It was Thompson's sixth goal of the season.

That early goal held up for the remainder of the half as Kean held the Red Hawks to six shots and thwarted five penalty corner chances by MSU.

In the second half, MSU swung the momentum and was awarded three penalty corners, with Abby Erler rifling a shot on the last one that was headed for a goal until defender Kelly Bachovchin deflected the ball away on the goal line.

The Red Hawks would get another penalty corner on the play and this time cashed in as Sierra Rauchbach registered her 10th goal of the year at 42:52. After inserting the ball, Jennifer Tafro moved in and fired a shot that knocked the stick out of the hands of Kean keeper Erin Langan.  The ball bounced right to Rauchbach who then banged in the rebound tying the game at 1-1.

Langan would go on to make four more saves as the Cougars disrupted six more MSU penalty corners keeping the game tied.

Kean later moved the ball back down the other end of the field and got two excellent chances to take the lead with five minutes remaining. Off a penalty corner, Marissa Robinson got off a shot from five yards out that got past MSU keeper Megan Bosland. Defender Stephanie Lewis was there to swipe the ball out of the circle however the clear came right back to Bachovchin whose looping ball over Bosland landed on top of the cage.

With 1:34 left, Erler received the insert from Rauchbach and slid a pass to Tafro on the left side. Tafro ripped shot inside the left post for her 10th of the year as the Red Hawks took the lead with 1:22 to play.

Seconds later the Red Hawks added an insurance goal as Kate Norgard took a long feed from Brooke Hullings and drove to within 15 yards, making move around Langan before flipping the ball into the open cage for her team-leading 13th of the season with 46 ticks left.

Bosland made one save for the Red Hawks, who outshot the Cougars 18-4, including 12-2 over the final 35 minutes. The Red Hawks also had 17 penalty corners to five by Kean.  Langan posted eight saves for the Cougars.

The Cougars conclude the 2012 season on Saturday as they host SUNY New Paltz at 5 p.m. for senior night.