LANCASTER, Pa. - In the longest game in Centennial Conference (CC) Tournament history, the seventh-ranked and top-seeded Franklin & Marshall field hockey team survived a late rally from fourth-seeded Haverford to advance to the CC Championship with a thrilling 3-2 overtime triumph on Saturday afternoon at Tylus Field.

The Diplomats (16-2, 10-0 CC) will meet 12th-ranked and second-seeded Ursinus (14-3, 9-1 CC) in Sunday's title game at 1:00 pm. This marks just the second time F&M has reached the CC finals, while Ursinus will be looking for its eighth straight CC crown.

After over 50 minutes of scoreless action, F&M was finally able to break through on a penalty stroke by Becky Willert in the 53rd minute. Willert calmly slid the penalty shot into the lower-left corner of the cage for a 1-0 Diplomat edge.

F&M then jumped out to a two-goal lead just five minutes later off the stick of Allison McLaren. Megan Kelly delivered a cross from the left side to the stick of McLaren, who found the back of the cage from close range. 

With a two-goal cushion and under 13 minutes to play, the Diplomats seemed destined for their first title appearance since 2004. However, the Fords - who overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat fifth-seeded Washington College in Wednesday's first round - made things interesting with an impressive late rally to send the contest into overtime.

The Fords answered right back following McLaren's tally, as Bridget Gibbons finished a rebound off a penalty corner in the 60th minute to pull the visitors back within one.

As time continued to wind down, Haverford was down to its final few chances to tie the contest. The Fords earned a penalty corner with just over two minutes on the clock, and made it count once again as Roxanne Jaffe scored off a feed from Mary Hobbs to knot the game a 2-2.

Both sides had quality looks in the overtime session as the action became more end-to-end with each squad featuring just seven players on the field. Hobbs nearly lifted Haverford to the victory in the 77th minute with a clear look at the cage, but her shot trickled just wide.

The Fords had another golden opportunity with under two minutes left as Bryn Bissey charged towards goal with just one defender to beat, but Maura Hennigan came through with a vital stop off the one-on-one opportunity.

Following Hennigan's key defensive play, the Diplomats pushed forward and earned a penalty corner as time expired. F&M's first corner resulted in another Fords' penalty, earning the Diplomats an extra crack at the cage with the clock reading 0:00. After Chelsey Talhelm sent the corner into play, Diana Aulisa found Willert on the left side, and the senior forward's shot deflected off a Haverford defender and rolled over the goal-line to give the Diplomats the dramatic victory.

F&M goalkeeper Avery Koep turned away five shots in the victory, while Haverford's Sydney Hyder totaled four saves in the loss.

Top-seeded F&M will meet second-seeded Ursinus in Sunday's CC Championship at 1:00 pm.

 Haverford (11-8, 6-4 CC) vs. #7 Franklin & Marshall (16-2, 10-0 CC)

 Goals by period       1  2 OT  Tot
 ----------------------------------
 Haverford...........  0  2  0 -  2
 Franklin & Marshall.  0  2  1 -  3
 
 SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.  52:12 F&M Becky Willert (26) Penalty stroke
  2.  57:18 F&M Allison McLaren (Megan Kelly)
  3.  59:06 HAV Bridget Gibbons (Roxanne Jaffe) - rebound off corner
  4.  67:54 HAV Roxanne Jaffe (Mary Hobbs) - two passes after corner
  5.  85:00 F&M Becky Willert (27) (Diana Aulisa) - shot deflected off defender

 Shots: Haverford 12, Franklin & Marshall 16
 Saves: Haverford 4 (Sydney Hyder 4), Franklin & Marshall 6 (Avery Koep 5; TEAM 1)
 F&M advances to the CC Championship