Facing a must-win scenario, The University of Scranton field hockey team came through in the most exciting fashion.

The Royals received two goals from junior forward Gretchen Kempf (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) and withstood an offensive barrage by Juniata in the second half to clinch a Landmark Conference playoff berth with a 3-1 victory over Juniata on Monday evening at Fitzpatrick Field.

Freshman forward Cassie Mullen (Chester Springs, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) added a key goal in the final minutes as the Royals (12-5, 3-3 Landmark Conference) claimed the No. 3 seed for the conference playoffs, which begin Wednesday. The Royals will travel to Drew University in Madison, N.J.; game time is to be announced. Juniata (10-7, 3-3 Landmark) is the No. 4 seed and will travel to top-seeded Catholic on Wednesday.

After nearly 30 minutes of scoreless action to open the game, Kempf scored an unassisted goal at the 29:54 mark when she poked a shot past the Juniata goalie, who dove in an attempt to deflect the ball away from the goal.

Kempf didn't wait long to add to the Royals' lead, scoring on a breakaway at the 36:23 mark when she got past the Juniata defense and blasted a shot past the Eagles' goalie from 10 yards out.

The two goals gave Kempf 16 on the season, tops in the Landmark Conference. Her 16 goals are also tied for fifth-most in a single season in Scranton history. She also has a Landmark Conference-best 34 points on the season, the eighth-highest single-season point total in school history. Her 26 career goals are tied for eighth-most in school history.

After Juniata cut the Scranton lead to one at the 52:59 mark on a goal by sophomore midfielder Emma Dahmus (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin), the Eagles continued to apply pressure for the next 13 minutes, including three minutes with a one-player advantage after a yellow card on Scranton. But the Royals' defense and goalie Alexandria Marandino (Granby, Conn./Northwest Catholic) held their ground, securing the victory as Marandino finished the night with seven saves.

Mullen put the game away for the Royals when she punched in a shot from the right edge of the goal after sophomore midfielder Laura Megargel (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) sent the ball in from the left point. The goal was Mullen's fifth of the season while Megargel picked up her team-leading fifth assist.

The playoff berth is the second in five seasons in the Landmark Conference for the Royals, who also qualified for the postseason in 2008. It was the team's 12th win, its most since 1998, when the Royals went 16-5. It was also Scranton's first victory over Juniata in five tries.

The victory also gave Scranton a perfect 9-0 home record during the regular season.

The Royals return to action Wednesday, November 2, when they travel to Drew University in Madison, N.J. for a Landmark Conference semifinal at a time to be announced.

--ROYALS--