Box Score Field Hockey
Commonwealth Conference Semifinal
Elizabethtown 2, Lebanon Valley 1

ANNVILLE, Pa. - A stunning late defensive stand by Elizabethtown denied Lebanon Valley an equalizer as the Blue Jays won, 2-1, in Friday's Commonwealth Conference semifinal round.

On a bitterly cold and occasionally rainy night at Arnold Field, the Dutchmen (11-8) outshot the Jays (14-5) 20-8, but E-town's Lindy Hamp made 11 saves and back Samantha Earle cleared what would have been the tying goal off the line with a minute remaining.

With the loss, LVC will have to wait to find out if they will make the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Tournament field when the bracket is announced Monday. Elizabethtown moves on to face Messiah in the CC championship game on Sunday.

Mandi Albright scored LVC's lone goal, while Casey Fletcher and Emily Butler did the damage for the Blue Jays.

Butler put the visitors on top in the seventh minute, potting a rebound off a penalty corner for her second goal of the year. Fletcher made it 2-0 just after halftime, tipping Jacki Hikes' cross in front of an empty cage.

LVC amped up the pressure as the second half went on, and caught a break when CC Player of the Year Nadine Yunginger was sent off on a green card at 53:23. That opened the door for Albright, who took a baseline cross from Laura James and beat a diving Hamp to her left at 53:42.

The Dutchmen kept peppering shots on goal, including three in quick sequence off a corner at 68:36. LVC's second corner of that series ended up with Bridget Monighan tipping a bouncing ball in front that looked to be surely in before a diving Earle put her stick on it in midair to save the game.