RICHMOND, Va.- The top-seeded Saint Joseph’s Hawks came away with a narrow victory over the No. 4 Lock Haven Bald Eagles in the first semifinal of the Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Championship Friday at Richmond’s Crenshaw Field. 

Saint Joseph’s will face the winner of the second semifinal between No. 2 Massachusetts and No. 3 Richmond in the championship final Saturday at 1:00 pm.  The Minutewomen and Spiders face off at 2:00 pm in the second semifinal.

The Bald Eagles were first on the board as senior midfielder, Kayla Brathwaite, drove down the middle, putting the ball in the back of the cage. Lock Haven held on all the way through the first two quarters, riding their 1-0 lead into halftime. 

Senior midfielder and A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, Kathrin Bentz, scored the equalizer for Saint Joseph’s on a penalty corner midway through the third quarter. Both sides battled on through the second half until Carolina Boxer put the Hawks in the lead on a successful penalty corner with only minutes on the clock. 

The No. 2 Massachusetts Minutewomen will take on the No. 3 Richmond Spiders in the second match at 2:00 pm. Saint Joseph’s will take the field again tomorrow at 1:00 pm in the Championship game against the winner of the second match.

Saint Joseph’s led the way with 14 shots, while Lock Haven registered seven. Hawks’ goalie, Victoria Kammerinke made two saves, while Bald Eagles’ Joaquina Orlandini had five.