The Sacred Heart Field Hockey team beat Quinnipiac in the semi finals of the Northeast Conference tournament but the championship game ended with an upset for the Pioneers against the former Lock Haven rivals.

On Friday afternoon the Pioneers traveled to Pa., and dominated the Quinnipiac Bobcats 4-2 in the semi finals of the Northeast tournament. Junior Jenn Howley of North Salem N.Y scored two goals while sophomore goaltender Whitney Mills of Harrisburg Pa made 19 saves through out the game.

"We didn't play our best, but we proved we were the better team and overcame them," said senior Colleen Carney of Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

In the constant back and fourth shooting through out the game the Pioneers were out shot 23-16, but made the most of their chances.

Sacred Heart goaltender Mills was a major factor in the win her 13-save effort broke the NEC record for saves set two yeas ago by Fairfield's Lauren Callahan.

Pioneers were the first to get on the scoreboard, with an unassisted effort by Melissa Mazin of Putnam Valley, N.Y. in the 20th minute of the first half. However Quinnipiac quicly lashed back as Jennifer Kinchla tipped in a shot by Bobcats Jaime Cassesse just minutes before the half ended.

Early in the second half senior Colleen Carney, the most prolific defensive player in the league, put the Pioneers back on top. Junior Leach Stoher of Hummelstown Pa., set Carney up on a penalty corner attempt and Carney put the ball past Grossman into the back of the cage.

Once again the Bobcats answered right back, as Kinchla found the net for the second time just 47 seconds after the Pioneers had taken the lead.

Sacred Heart's Howley with just over 20 minutes to go in the game rebounded a shot. She continued to seal the deal for the Pioneers and with six minutes left in the game she broke out behind Quinnipiac's defense and beat Grossman for an insurance goal. The win would continue the journey into the tournament, and the Pioneers would go on the face Lock Haven for the Championship, which had previously beaten Rider in the semi finals.

Lock Haven University made a strong first appearance in their first ever postseason play at the Division I levels. The Pioneers struggled to defend their former NEC championship title and feel behind 5-0 before getting a goal on the board. The Lady Eagles used a 3-0-halftime lead to get its first ever NEC title, 7-1.

"Lock Haven just played harder for 70 minutes," said Carney.

Sophomore Carisa Eye of Nesconset, N.Y. who was recently named the NEC field hockey Player of the year, scored the Pioneers only goal. While goaltender Mills continued to break the record with 20 saves through out the tournament. Eye, Carney and Howler each earned the All-Tournament team honors for Sacred Heart.

Early in the game both teams seem to be evenly matched as they both went scoreless in the first 17 minutes of the game. Than in the 17:46 minutes of the game LHU's Nicole Dearden sent a shot into the circle that was tipped past the keeper by Samantha Stoyer.

Lock Haven continued scoring and less than four minutes later Man Daschbach picked up a rebound off a Mills saved and buried it in the back of the cage.

The first half of the game would end with LHU's Sarah Huber getting a breakaway and finished a one-on-one with the Pioneer's goaltender. Huber would get the scoring started in the second half deflecting a Renee Kemmerer shot for her second goal of the contest tying the NEC single-tournament-game record.

Finally in the 53rd minute of the game the Pioneers would get on the board. Eye wrapped a shot around Lock Haven's goaltender to cut the lead of the game to four.

LHU continued to dominate the game, Daschbach would later get her second goal of the game and the scoring would end with a shot from the top of the circle by LHU's Renee Kemmerer for the 7-1 lead.Lock haven seven goals against the Pioneers broke the single-game team record at the NEC tournament. The previous record was held by Rider who scored four goals twice once in '03 and once in '04. LHU's nine goals in the tournament also broke the NEC record previously held by the 2004 Rider squad that scored seven.

"Everyone played till the end and despite the score we did not give up. we accomplished alot of great things this season, we received many awards and we are proud of our season." Said sophomore Andi Corio of Yorktown Heights N.Y.

The Pioneers ended the season with a 14-4 record and 6-2 mark in the NEC play. The Pioneers ran off a seven game winning streak in the middle of the season, lead by Coach Christine Blais who takes top coach honors for the first time.

"She stood by us the entire game, reminding us that our best was all we could do, and that as long as we left it all out there we could walk out with our heads held high," said Carney.

Although the Pioneers did not win the NEC title it was a season for many records and awards.