The Lions' field hockey team defeated the Ospreys of Richard Stockton College 5-0 on Thursday in a game in which the Lions dominated both sides of the ball.
The win was important for the Lions, who were coming off their second loss of the season, as they were defeated by No. 1 SUNY-Cortland on Oct. 29.
"We wanted to prove that (the loss to Cortland) was a fluke," sophomore midfielder Kelly Mitchell said. "It's awesome to end the regular season with a win. They were a really physical and aggressive team, but we were better skill-wise."
The team finished with a record of 16-2, including an undefeated record, 6-0, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
The Lions took the early lead when sophomore forward Jenny Lubin scored 12:08 into the game, assisted by sophomore midfielder Jackie Gelinas. The team never looked back after the quick start, and Mitchell scored later in the first half to bring the score to 2-0.
The Lions added three more goals in the second half to bring the final score to 5-0. Sophomore forward Jenny Lubin scored her second goal of the game, and sophomore midfielder Melissa Buttray and senior forward Allison Greene had one goal each.
The Lions dominated possession of the ball, taking 50 shots while allowing none. The Lions also had 22 penalty corners to the Ospreys' zero. Ospreys sophomore goalkeeper Caitlin Nolan limited the damage with 19 saves.
"They were competitive, but we played really hard, ran hard and played well enough to win," freshman forward Robin Deehan said.
The game was especially meaningful for seniors Jess Berkowitz, Greene, Meg Hess and Erin Mitschke, who were honored before the game for their commitment to the program throughout their careers.
Entering their 26th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, the Lions will host the second and third round starting on Nov. 10 at 11 a.m.
