Stockton, Calif. – The Pacific Tigers advanced to the semi-finals of the America East Conference Tournament with a 2-1 victory over the New Hampshire Wildcats Friday afternoon.  Pacific scored twice off of corners to seal their victory.  The win gave the Tigers 11 this season, tying the program record for most wins in a single season, previously recorded in 2006 and 2004.  The semi-final matchup will come against the No. 8 Albany Great Danes and will be aired via AmericaEast.TV starting at 9:00 am tomorrow morning.

Laura Pujade, fresh off her Second Team All-Conference selection, earned the victory by making 14 saves in the game, including 12 in the first half.  "We hung in there thanks to some absolutely exceptional play by Pujade," said Head Coach Andy Smith.  Pujade has now stopped 34 of the last 38 shots she has faced, good for a .895 save percentage in that span.

The junior kept the Tigers in the game early with a series of outstanding saves as New Hampshire recorded seven penalty corners and 12 shots in the first 15 minutes.   Pujade made seven saves during that time, including a sequence which saw her kick the ball away, dive to knock away another shot with her glove, then kick her leg out while prone to stop the final rebound chance.

New Hampshire took the lead 23 minutes into the first half.  Lindsey Nerbonne took a long pass and was able to carry it into the middle of the zone, forcing Pujade to come out of the net aggressively.  Nerbonne got the pass under a diving Pujade to Meg Flatley, who knocked it home into the open net.  "They had a really good game plan, I tip my hat to them," said Smith about New Hampshire's play.

Two penalty corners in the last five minutes of the half were just part of Pacific's renewed attack.  Savannah Burns carried the ball in deep to earn a corner, giving the Tigers the last offensive chance of the half and helping them tie the game before the break. 

Burns received the corner and carried the ball in before passing off to Kyleigh Morrison near the side of goal.  Morrison's shot bounced through the pads of New Hampshire's Melissa Rize as the goalie tried to slide across and react, making it 1-1.  Burns recorded the only assist on the goal to tie the game back up at halftime.

The second half started with the Tigers full of energy as they routinely locked down the Wildcats and kept any attack from getting started.  Burns poked the ball away to start a Pacific breakaway during New Hampshire's best attack of the first five minutes but was unable to end the break with a shot.  Ali Campos had two redirect chances, both of which were just out of her reach and sent wide of goal. 

Two New Hampshire penalty corners near the ten-minute mark were snuffed out thanks to the defensive efforts of Morrison and Leah Cofer, who each blocked shots before a foul against the Wildcats ended the offensive opportunity.

A steal by Campos gave Pacific a chance at a free breakaway with 14:30 to go in the half.  Sidney Brooks broke free in the circle with no defenders present but Campos' pass was tipped away at the last moment.

The Tigers took the lead with six minutes left in the game off another corner.  Campos sent the ball in and headed straight to the net to screen and go for a rebound.  Malia Robertson stopped the ball for Burns, who fired away from high in the circle.  The shot went under a leaping Hannah Tvergyak and past the goalie to make it 2-1.

An untimed corner gave New Hampshire their last chance to tie the score.  The Wildcats brought their entire team to the top of the circle for the corner.  The Tigers cleared the ball out without a shot from New Hampshire, however, and came away with the victory.  "We stole one today," said Smith.  "All we're talking about is playing one more day...we kept ourselves in it with some unbelievable play in goal and a lot of heart and we're excited for tomorrow."

The win sets up a matchup with Albany tomorrow morning at 9:00 am, which will be live streamed via AmericaEast.TV.

Make sure to follow Pacific field hockey on Twitter with the username @PacificTigersFH and on Instagram at pacifictigersfh.