LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Franklin & Marshall's No. 10 field hockey team fell 2-1 in an overtime heartbreaker to No. 2 Middlebury in the Final Four round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday evening.
The Diplomats ended their year at 17-5, advancing to their first Final Four appearance since 1983, while the Panthers improved to 19-2 and will face Messiah in the Championship game on Sunday.
Middlebury came out fast to start the overtime period and Ilianna Santangelo came out with a big save in the opening minute, but Annie Leonard gathered the rebound and found the back of the cage to give the Panthers the 2-1 victory.
The Panthers dominated possession in the opening minutes of regulation play, getting on the board in the 24th minute after Grace Jennings redirected a cross to give Middlebury the 1-0 lead.
Annie Horsley got the Diplomats on the board in the opening minute of the second frame, tallying her eighth penalty stroke of the season after a shot from Erin Coverdale.
Middlebury looked to finish the game with a penalty corner in the last minute of regulation, but Santangelo came up with the stop to send the game into overtime.
The Panthers held the slight edge in shots 6-4 while the Diplomats controlled corners 3-1. Santangelo tallied four saves on the day.