GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- Championship Game MVP Brianna O'Connell scored a hat trick as Gwynedd Mercy captured the 2017 Colonial States Athletic Conference Field Hockey Championship with a 3-0 victory over Cabrini Saturday afternoon. It marks the sixth title in program history for GMercyU.

The Griffins (17-3) claim the CSAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament which kicks off next week. Selections and pairings will be announced Sunday night. Stay tuned to the Gwynedd Mercy Athletic Website and Social Media for complete updates and coverage.

O'Connell scored twice on penalty strokes, the first coming late in the first half as both teams looked to get that first lead. GMercyU put together three penalty corners in the first five minutes of action but could not convert. On their ninth corner of the stanza, the Cavaliers were called for violation in the net, resulting in a stroke. O'Connell sized up the attempt and put one past Cabrini keeper Taylor Bookman for the 1-0 lead with 4:13 remaining in the half.
 

In the second, Gwynedd came out firing, producing another corner. This time, Melissa Russo inserted a pass to O'Connell at the top of the arc where she teed it up and hammered in her second on the day just 2:02 into the period.

Less than six minutes later, Cabrini was called again for a violation in the goal crease, resulting in another stroke attempt. O'Connell made it a perfect 6-for-6 on penalty strokes on the season and her school record tenth in her career to give the Griffins an insurmountable three-goal lead. The three goals give O'Connell 25 on the season, which adds to her career high.

It was more than enough for the Griffin defense, as goalie Sarah Crane and the backline withstood three Cavalier penalty corners in the second half and just two shots on the day. Crane made stops on both attempts to keep Cabrini off the board.

Bookman finished the day with 15 saves in a valiant effort for the Cavaliers (8-10), as the two teams met in the final for the eighth-consecutive season. Gwynedd broke a two-game losing streak in the championship game in the process and extended their winning streak on the year to nine games.