SWARTHMORE, Pa.- The No. 15 Franklin & Marshall field hockey team (15-3, 8-2 Centennial Conference) concluded the 2025 regular season with a 2-1 win at Swarthmore (10-8, 7-3 Centennial Conference) to secure the second seed and a semifinal spot in the Centennial Conference Tournament.

Sophia Sarbanes scored the games opening goal, while Caitlin Hoover had one goal and one assist. Megan Dole made three saves in the cage. 

Neither side generated a shot until Sarbanes' goal in the 12th minute of the game. Hannah Fitzgerald began the play with a through ball from the edge of the circle to Hoover ten yards in front of goal. Hoover outdueled her defender and dribbled into space, drawing Sarbanes' marker in her direction. She then fired a cross past the goalkeeper to an unmarked Sarbanes at the far post for a tap-in from a foot away. Each team managed one goal in the remaining three minutes including the first save from Dole in the game.

The sides generated more chances in the second quarter, as each team totaled three shots, including two shots on goal apiece, in the busiest quarter of the game. F&M drew four penalty corners, while the Garnet had three, although the score remained 1-0 entering halftime.

The third quarter was yet again quiet in terms of chance creation, as Hoover's penalty stroke goal ten minutes into the period was just the second total shot. The chance came after Hoover drew a foul on a counterattack. With the chance to double the lead, she fired low and right, sending the goalkeeper in the other direction for a 2-0 scoreline. 

The Garnet closed the deficit five minutes into the fourth quarter, working the ball down the right side on a counterattack before playing a cross into an unmarked Swarthmore player at the far post. Neither side was able to register a shot in the remaining nine minutes, including four minutes without the goalkeeper for Swarthmore, as the Diplomats maintained their lead to secure a playoff bye.

Across the hour, F&M maintained a narrow advantage in shots (8-7), shots on goal (5-4), and penalty corners (6-4).

The Diplomats will face the highest remaining seed following Tuesday night's Centennial Conference Tournament first-round matchups (#3 Dickinson vs. #6 Ursinus, #4 Swarthmore vs. #5 Haverford) in the semifinal round on Thursday, November 6.