Box Score

GRANTHAM, Pa. - Somehow, over the years, Lebanon Valley and Messiah have never met in the NCAA Tournament. That will change Sunday.

#7 LVC set up an NCAA Third Round match-up with #1 Messiah after shutting out #8 Rowan, 3-0, in the NCAA Second Round Saturday at Messiah's Anderson Field. The Dutchmen (19-3) will take on the undefeated Falcons (20-0) Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in the regional final as they bid for their fifth Final Four appearance and third in four years. Messiah beat #19 Eastern, 3-0, in the morning game of the regional.

LVC lost to the Falcons, 4-1, in the regular season and then 2-1 in the Commonwealth Conference title game last Saturday.

The Profs (14-5) managed just six shots as LVC once again relied on the scoring of Jocelyn Novak, who had two goals and an assist to break her own single-season goals and points records.

LVC drew a string of early corners, and converted after their fourth of the game when Caitlin Vasey scored at 21:58. After Rowan's best chance of the game by Nicole Valianti was cleared off the line by Carter, LVC couldn't finish on a series of late shots and went into the break up 1-0.

Novak wasted no time putting the game away, hitting her first at 38:50 from Nikki Bomberger before tallying unassisted at 40:47.

Novak's goals give her 34 for the season, breaking her mark of 32 set last year, and she now has 72 points, re-setting her mark of 68 as a freshman.

Caitlin Baro made four saves to preserve the shutout, her fourth career NCAA clean sheet, and she got a defensive save from Avery Carter.

LVC outshot Rowan 13-6, and held a 7-1 corners advantage. Lisa Apt made seven saves for the Profs.

Game Notes
LVC and Messiah have met 53 times previously, but never in the NCAA Tournament ... Messiah leads the series 35-14-4 ... LVC's four previous Final Four appearances were in 1996, 1997, 2006, and 2007 ... Lebanon Valley improved to 18-15 in the NCAA Tournament ... It was the third meeting between LVC and Rowan, all in the NCAA Tournament; the two split their previous meetings, in the 1992 and 1993 first rounds ... It will be LVC's seventh appearance in the third round ... The shutout was LVC's 10th in the NCAA Tournament and second in a row; LVC blanked Wittenberg 9-0 in the first round ... Baro now has 22 career shutouts ... Novak has eight goals in four career NCAA games ... Novak extended her consecutive-game scoring streak to 15 ... Vasey has 21 points in her last six games.