FINAL SCORE 
Cal 3 (8-11, 1-3 AE)
#20 Monmouth 4 (14-4, 5-0 AE)

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – The top-seed Monmouth University Field Hockey team staged a dramatic comeback victory over the #5 seed California Golden Bears in the semifinals of the America East Field Hockey Championship on Friday afternoon at So Sweet A Cat Field.  

Monmouth, ranked 20th in the latest NFHCA Coaches Poll, scored twice in the final three minutes to erase a 3-2 deficit and advance to Sunday's Championship game. After the Hawks' pulled their goalie, Meg de Lange (Johannesburg, South Africa / St. Mary's Waverley) scored the tying goal with under three minutes remaining.  Annick van Lange (Sint-Job, Belgium / Annuntia Institute) put in the game-winner with 50 seconds to go in regulation with a shot into the top portion of the cage off a cross by Aylin Aufenacker (Hamburg, Germany / Gymnasium Eppendorf), which was deflected by Stefanie Bigler (North Vancouver, BC / Seycove Secondary School). 

With the victory, the ninth straight, the Hawks advance to Sunday's America East Field Hockey final against Stanford, which edged #2 Maine in a shootout in the second semifinal.

Yasmin Pratt (Wicklow, Ireland / Kilkenny College HS) scored twice in the first quarter, including caging her first 29-seconds into regulation, to give Monmouth two different leads.  Cal answered both goals to even the score before taking a 3-2 advantage before the break.

Kate O'Hogan (Dublin, Ireland / Mount Anville Secondary) made three saves and got help from Annie Desuch (Oceanport, NJ / Shore Regional) who chipped in a defensive save in the victory.

NOTES & QUOTES
"The character that this team showed today was unbelievable.  Credit Cal for a great game today; it was a tremendous hockey game.  I am so proud of our team and how they responded at every turn, dug deep and never stopped for a full 60-minutes.  We will enjoy this win, but we will have to quickly refocus for Stanford on Sunday." Head Coach Carli Figlio

- Monmouth will make its 10th overall appearance in a conference championship game. 
- It will be the Hawks' fourth-straight trip to a final, their first in the America East.
- It was the first ever meeting between Monmouth and Cal.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Annick van Lange registered her 18th goal of the year, her fourth game-winner.
- The sophomore becomes the 12th Hawks all-time to join the 60-point club with her three point effort.
- Meg de Lange scored her third goal of the year, the fifth of her career. 
- The midfielder has points in back-to-back games for the second time this season.
- Yasmin Pratt scored her 10th and 11th goals of the season.  
- The freshman's fourth multi-goal game of the year increased her point total to 29.
- Aylin Aufenacker registered her 22nd point with her eighth assist of the season.
- Bente Steenhorst came off the bench late in the fourth quarter and assisted on the game-tying goal for her first career point.
- Kate O'Hogan earned her 22nd victory in cage in her 29th career game.
- Annie Desuch notched her third save of the season from the backline.
- Monmouth outshot Cal on the afternoon, 19-10, with 11 of its shots reaching cage.
- The Hawks earned nine attacking corners, including five in the second quarter, while limiting the Golden Bears to four on the day.

NEXT
The Hawks will take on Stanford, the West Division Regular Season Champions, in Sunday's America East Championship.  The Cardinal, who was ranked No. 17 in this week's NFHCA Coaches Poll, and Hawks will meet for the first time on the field hockey turf.