GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- The Gwynedd Mercy University Field Hockey team continued their offensive attack on Tuesday night defeating visiting Stockton University in a wild 6-5 victory.

Melissa Russo recorded her third hat trick of the season, scoring a pair of goals in the first half and a crucial insurance goal in the second. Kaitlyn Lutz also notched her first multi-goal game of her career with a pair of goals. Maggie Walsh also got in on the action, knocking in her first tally of the season off of a corner.

Russo got the offense rolling, scoring the game's first goal just twenty four seconds into the game. She then put GMercyU (7-4) up 2-0 on a breakaway goal setup by Brianna O'Connell just over eight minutes in.  Stockton would cut the lead to 2-1 however the Griffins would answer with three-straight goals to take a 5-2 lead.

Lutz would find the back of the cage for her first goal of the game when she played a shot from the middle of the circle to sneak past the Osprey defense. Just under fourteen minutes later, Walsh would drive home a corner assisted by Russo. Lutz then would close out the first-half scoring for Gwynedd when she was able to put away the goal in front of the cage off a scrum. Stockton would connect on a penalty stroke to end the half but still trailed the Griffins, 5-2.

Russo would start the second half similar to the first when she put Gwynedd up 6-2 off of a breakaway goal.  The Ospreys (6-5) would not go away quietly recording goals in the 51st, 57th and 58th minutes to make things very interesting.

The Griffin Defense would stay strong over the remaining 12 minutes, limiting Stockton without a shot. Goalie Samantha Soscia was a big part of that effort, recording seven saves on the night. Noelle Schillinger added a pair of defensive saves.

Stockton's goalie tandem of Emily Sorochynsky and Niya Calloway combined for 10 saves.

Gwynedd outshot the Ospreys, 19-16, and held an 11-9 corner advantage.

The Griffins return home on Saturday when they host Immaculata apart of a homecoming doubleheader at 3 p.m.