RICHMOND, Va.- The No. 3 Richmond Spiders defeated the No. 2 Massachusetts Minutewomen 3-1 in the second semifinal game of the A-10 Field Hockey Championship. Richmond will meet top-seeded Saint Joseph’s in the championship game tomorrow at 1:00 pm at Richmond’s Crenshaw Field with a conference title on the line. 

With a minute remaining in the first quarter, Richmond’s senior, Elise Zwicklbauer, put the Spiders on the board, with a hard shot from the top of the circle, giving them the lead concluding the initial quarter of action. 

Zwicklbauer assisted teammate Stephie Bongers to score the Spiders’ second goal of the game with seven minutes left in the half. Six minutes later, Zwicklbauer added on another goal, increasing Richmond’s lead to three goals heading into halftime.

Following a scoreless third quarter, Massachusetts freshman Jess Beech, scored the lone goal for the Minutewomen with 14 minutes remaining. Down two goals, trying to forge a comeback, head coach Barb Weinberg pulled All-Conference First Team goalie Marlise van Tonder in order to have an extra field player in the game. Despite several attempts, nothing materialized for the Minutewomen as the clock hit zeros with a final score of 3-1.

Richmond led the way with 14 shots, while Massachusetts tallied eight. Marlise van Tonder registered six saves for the Minutewomen, while Frankie-Lynne Conklin had two for the Spiders.