The Muhlenberg field hockey team was eliminated from the Centennial Conference playoff chase after losing to Franklin & Marshall, 2-1.

The Mules (8-9, 3-6) entered the game in eighth place, but with a mathematical chance since their two remaining games were against teams just ahead of them.

Junior Jessica Hand gave Muhlenberg a lead against the 18th-ranked Diplomats (11-5, 5-4) midway through the first half. After the original shot off a penalty corner was saved, sophomore Jillian Duffy sent the rebound across the goal mouth, and Hand was there to poke it in.

F&M tied the score with 7:36 left in the half and scored the game-winner on a second-half breakaway.

Junior Kate Moyer recorded a defensive save for the fourth game in a row.

Three of the Mules’ four losses on their current skid are to nationally ranked teams.

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With one game remaining in the regular season, Muhlenberg (10-5, 5-3) is in a four-way tie for third place.

After scoring exactly one goal in each of its last six games, the Mules broke out with three in the first half against the Fords (5-10-1, 1-7). Kliewer took a through ball from senior Adam Milberg on the right side and scored the first goal just five minutes into the contest.

“We needed to set the tone early today, and I was fortunate to get open and get a good pass early on,” said Kliewer.

Midway through the first half, Kliewer’s long cross made its way over many players before junior Blake Grannell settled the ball, beat the goalie and fed senior Christopher King for an easy tap into an open net. The goal was King’s ninth of the season, matching his career total coming into the year, while Grannell notched his first point of 2005.

Muhlenberg’s final two goals came on headers, the first by sophomore Karim Assous off a Kliewer cross in the 34th minute and the second by senior James Henshaw off a Jose Ramirez corner kick in the second half.

“It had been a while since we scored more than one goal, so this was a big confidence booster,” said Kliewer, who leads the Mules with five assists and has scored 18 of his 20 career points against CC opponents. “Now we need to keep this up and win our next game.”

Muhlenberg, which has not won back-to-back games in more than a month, closes out the regular season at home against last-place Ursinus on Saturday night.

Click here for box score.