Ewing, NJ…The College of New Jersey got revenge for the lone blemish on their schedule and advanced to the final four with an 8-4 victory over defending national champions Middlebury College Sunday afternoon. The top-ranked Lions improved to 18-1 with the victory, while the eighth-ranked Panthers closed out their season at 16-5.

This marks the Lions 25^th final four appearance and first since 2011. The Lions have won more national championships than any other program with 13.  

The Lions got on the board first, scoring just over five and a half minutes into the contest. Allie Gorman (Sicklerville, NJ / Washington Twp.) took advantage of a loose ball that over extended the Panther defense, beating the goalie with a sidearm shot. Mia Blackman (Arlington, VA / Field School) scored on a free-position attempt, then made a defender fall before scoring again to extend the Lions lead to 3-0.

Kathleen Jaeger (Whitehouse Station, NJ / Hunterdon Central), TCNJ's leading goal scorer for the season, drew a double-team and found an open Olivia Cleale (Yardley, PA / Notre Dame(NJ)), TCNJ's leader in assists for the year, to put the Lions up 4-0 heading into the half.

The second half began much like the first with Amanda Muller (Hillsborough, NJ / Hillsborough) scoring twice just 24 second apart, pushing the Lion's advantage to 6-0.

The Panthers responded, scoring three unanswered goals capped by Mary O'Connell finding the back of the net for a team-leading 44^th time.

Just when it appeared as though the momentum was shifting toward Middlebury, Erin Harvey (Mt. Laurel, NJ / Lenape) scored a free position goal to break the scoring run. When Blackman finished her ninth hat trick of the season with 6:48 remaining, all that was left for TCNJ was running down the remaining time on the clock.

Elizabeth Morrison (Stonington, CT / Stonington) led the dominant TCNJ defense. Morrison led the team with five ground balls and five caused turnovers. Morrison's 162 career caused turnovers places her in 12^th place in NCAA history.

Miranda Chrone (Moorestown, NJ / Moorestown) made seven saves and nabbed five ground balls to earn her 18^th victory of the season. Chrone now owns a career record of 38-3.

TCNJ out-shot Middlebury 20-13.

The Lions now advance to the NCAA Division III Final Four in Salem, VA. TCNJ will face Washington and Lee, who defeated William Smith 7-6 in overtime. TCNJ is 18-6 all time in national semi-final games.