ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – As the old adage says, third time's the charm. The St. Mary's College of Maryland field hockey team claimed the Atlantic East Conference championship title in their third consecutive trip to the title game. Sophomore forward Briana Allen (Bowie, Md./Mount de Sales) lifted St. Mary's College to the win with her third-period goal.
 
The top-seeded Seahawks (13-5) pulled out a 1-0 triumph over second-seeded Marywood University (14-5) Saturday afternoon (Nov. 4) for the program's first conference championship. Senior captain Audrey Dickens (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) was named the tournament MVP after scoring the game-winning goal in St. Mary's 1-0 semifinal victory over No. 4 seed Cabrini University on Nov. 1 and commanding the midfield for the Seahawks throughout the tournament.
 
Along with capturing the school's first conference crown in field hockey, St. Mary's also earned the program's first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship Tournament by virtue of gaining the league's automatic qualifying bid with today's victory.
 
The NCAA DIII field hockey selection show and bracket release will stream live on NCAA.com at 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 5.
 
How It Happened

• It was a tight game for the first two periods. St. Mary's held the Pacers shotless while the hosts owned a 6-0 (2-0 on goal) shot advantage and a 3-1 penalty corner margin.
• Junior captain Charlotte Horn (Schnecksville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) tested Marywood defense within the first two minutes of the game with a rip off the Seahawks' first penalty corner at 2:24. However, Horn was denied by a defensive save from junior Cassie Slusser.
• Horn continued to disrupt the Pacers' defensive efforts as another shot off a corner headed towards the cage, but first-year goalie Leah Ewing kept St. Mary's off the scoreboard with three minutes to go in the first half.
• Sophomore forward Emma Watkins (Frederick, Md./Linganore) sent in a shot at 32:07 but Ewing's quick feet turned away the attempt.
• The Pacers tallied their first shot of the game at 36:56 off the stick of sophomore Jordan Saybe but first-year Caroline McDonald (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) made quick work of it to maintain the scoreless draw.
• Thirty seconds later, the Seahawks ended the stalemate as Allen put back a rebound at the far post for the eventual game-winner.
• Marywood knocked on the door at 41:18 when sophomore Dariane Jones tried to put one past McDonald.
• In the fourth quarter, most of the action took place between the 25-yard lines with neither taking a shot until the final seven minutes of the game.
• The Pacers' last scoring attempt came at 53:57 but Slusser's shot was blocked.
• Horn fired another shot at 59:06 off the Seahawks' final corner of the game, which was blocked as well.

 
Inside the Box Score

• St. Mary's tallied a 10-3 (5-2 on goal) margin in shots and edged the Pacers, 5-4, in corners.

 
St. Mary's College Game Notes

• This is Allen's fifth goal of the season and second game-winner this year as she tallied the game-winning goal in the Seahawks' 2-1 road win over No. 16 Washington & Lee University (Sept. 1).
• McDonald earned her sixth shutout of the season as she came up with two stops in the win.
• St. Mary's entered today's action ranked third in Region IV in the third NCAA Division III Regional Rankings, moving up a spot from last week's rankings.
• The Seahawks improve to 5-0 all-time against Marywood, including four shutout wins.

 
Marywood Game Notes

• Ewing finished the game with three saves in the Pacers' fifth loss of the season.

 
Up Next for the Seahawks

• Nov. 8 – NCAA Division III First Round

 
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