MONTCLAIR, N.J. --- The Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion University of Lynchburg women's soccer team saw its season end at the hands of Montclair State in the NCAA tournament Saturday evening.
The Hornets lost 1-0 to the 17th-ranked Red Hawks during their 21st appearance in the national tournament.
The Hornets earned a bid into the postseason field after winning the 17th ODAC championship in program history Sunday against Virginia Wesleyan. Lynchburg took on Montclair with No. 3 Christopher Newport and John Jay also in the Garden State for the first and second rounds.
After a rainy practice day Friday, the match kicked off Saturday under clear skies and cool temperatures. Both teams saw chances in the opening frame. While Montclair outshot Lynchburg, 6-4, both keepers made two saves a piece.
Mac Joly gave the Hornets the first opportunity of the day, but Montclair keeper Haley Martin stopped it in the 10th minute.
Jade Lecklider stopped both shots she faced in the 24th and 27th minutes. The latter came during an extended scrum in front of the net. As both sides battled for possession or even a touch in the box, the junior keeper for the Hornets finally pounced on it to make the save.
Three minutes later, Leilianis Irigoyen dribbled herself free up the sideline, turned the corner on her defender, and took a shot on frame. However, Martin made the save once more and forced the match into halftime 0-0.
Montclair took the lead on a goal from Kerri Driscoll in the 56th minute and never conceded afterwards.
Lynchburg had trouble advancing the ball past midfield for the reminder of the match but earned a handful of scoring opportunities. First-team all-conference midfielder Emily Santana carried the ball through the defense and took a shot wide while absorbing a heavy amount of contact in the 75th minute. The Hornets took four shots and earned one corner in the second half but were unable to find the equalizer and extend their season.
The Hornets (11-4-7) concluded their stellar season after putting seven players on all-conference teams, winning their 17th conference title, and boasting one of the top defenses in the nation. Entering the tournament, the Hornets only conceded seven goals in 21 matches which was tied for the seventh-best tally in Division III.
After the match, head coach Dr. Todd Olsen addressed his team on the field. He complimented the team's heart and how they fought to the end of the match. He also let the squad know they were one of the hardest-working and grittiest teams he has ever coached, making sure the Hornets knew how proud he was of them after a well-played match and successful season.