In typical fashion, the Muhlenberg field hockey team defeated Dickinson, 1-0, in the first round of the Centennial Conference playoffs, advancing to the semifinals for the third time in the last five years.

The Mules (10-7) will face 10th-ranked Franklin & Marshall on Saturday with a trip to the championship game on the line. Muhlenberg won the earlier meeting this season, 1-0 - one of just two losses suffered by the Diplomats all season.

Muhlenberg's sixth consecutive win came much as the previous five did, with a stingy defense and an offense that came through when needed. Six of the Mules' 10 wins this season have been 1-0 games, and all 10 have been one-goal games.

Sophomore Rachel Richards scored the lone goal of the game with 13:28 left in the second half. The sequence that led to the goal started when sophomore Marlee Siegel (pictured above) drew a foul while intercepting a Dickinson pass near midfield. The free hit by sophomore Morgan Tietz went to freshman Laura Horner, who passed to freshman Megan Webber just outside the circle. 

Players from both teams took a stab at Webber's pass in front of the circle, but it leaked through to Richards, who buried the shot for her third goal of the season with 13:28 on the clock.

The Red Devils (6-12), who had not been shut out in their previous eight games, came down right after the goal and took a couple of shots that junior Jordan Segrave saved. Segrave finished with five saves (all in the second half) in recording her ninth career shutout and thwarted a Dickinson breakaway in the closing minutes to preserve the 1-0 lead.

The home playoff win was the first for Muhlenberg since a 1-0 win against Gettysburg in 2006.