LOUISVILLE, KY - Goals by Penn State's Mary Schaefer and Timarie Legel in a one minute, thirty-three second span vaulted the Penn State Nittany Lions to a 3-2 win over the Old Dominion Lady Monarchs to advance to the NCAA Field Hockey Championship game Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Old Dominion jumped on top 2:56 into the game when senior Tiffany Snow converted on a penalty stroke, beating Penn State keeper Annie Zinkavich high to the glove side for a 1-0 advantage.

The Lady Monarchs had been awarded a penalty corner previous to the goal, and on the play the official ruled that one of the defenders used her foot to make a save, leading to the penalty stroke.

Penn State evened things up 1-1 at the 17:46 mark on a goal by Legel, her 14th of the season, that went unassisted. Legel gathered the ball at the top of the circle and put it past ODU keeper Marybeth Freeman to knot the score at one.

The Nittany Lions controlled play for much of the first half, despite being outshot 6-3. The Lady Monarchs also held a 4-3 advantage in penalty corners in the first stanza.

Junior Tara Hermann redirected a shot by senior Katie Moyer at 43:51 to break the deadlock on a penalty corner for a 2-1 ODU lead.

In the 49th minute, Penn State's Heather Conroy drove in on the right side on a break, catching Freeman out of position, and placed a shot on goal that was blocked by Moyer for a penalty stroke.

Schaefer entered the match to take the stroke for the Nittany Lions, but was thwarted by Freeman on a lunging save to her right to keep the Lady Monarchs on top 2-1.

The Nittany Lions earned a second shot at a penalty stroke when an ODU defender stick-checked Legel from behind at 58:46. Again, Schaefer entered to take the stroke, and this time she converted for her 5th of the season, beating Freeman stick side in the same spot she was stopped previously, tying the game at two.

Just 1:33 after the penalty stroke, Legel one-timed a pass from senior Jill Martz top-shelf, giving Penn State its first lead of the match, 3-2.

Penn State outshot ODU 11-6 in the second half. Freeman and Zinkavich each had six saves for the game.

The top-ranked Lady Monarchs finished the season with a 21-4 mark. Penn State had defeated Old Dominion by the same 3-2 margin on October 27th during the regular season. It is the first NCAA championship game for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State will face the winner of the second semifinal Friday night between Wake Forest and Michigan State in the national championship game Sunday at 2:00p.m. at the University of Louisville's Trager Stadium.