MERION STATION, Pa. – No matter how many times you do it, it never gets easier.
 
And it never gets old, either.
 
Sol Borensztein tipped home the winner early in the fourth quarter and the Hawk defense made it stand up as the fourth-ranked Saint Joseph's field hockey team topped #15 UMass, 2-1, in the Atlantic 10 Championship Game at Ellen Ryan Field on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.
 
The win gives the Hawks their fourth consecutive Atlantic 10 title and their seventh in the last eight years.  It also secures an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship for Saint Joseph's.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The teams traded penalty corners early in the first half but it was Saint Joseph's (17-3) that would strike first.  Lily Santi inserted a corner to Kate Crist, who stopped it for Julia Duffhuis; Duffhuis fired low to the corner to beat Atlantic 10 Goalkeeper of the Year Myrte van Herwijnen for a 1-0 lead with 4:41 to go in the first quarter.
 
• The Minutewomen would settle in and take a measure of control in the second quarter, holding the Hawks without a shot, but could only muster one of their own as the game headed to halftime with SJU on top.
 
• UMass (15-5) got its equalizer early in the third quarter as Neva Eisenga took a pass from Elena Clococeanu and found the back of the cage to make it a 1-1 game heading to the final stanza.
 
• The Hawks earned their lone corner of the second half with 11:34 to play in the fourth quarter.  Santi inserted once again, this time directly to Duffhuis, who sent a low ball toward the cage.  Borensztein was waiting, getting her stick on the ball and redirecting it past van Herwijnen for the go-ahead goal that sent a raucous home crowd into a frenzy.
 
• Just like any other heavyweight title bout, the challengers would not go down without a fight.  The Hawk defense stood strong for the next six minutes until the Minutewomen pulled van Herwijnen for an extra attacker.  UMass earned a corner with three and a half minutes to go, but Claire Danahy's effort sailed wide.
 
• The game's closing seconds were not without drama as UMass earned one final corner with 14.5 seconds remaining.  Clococeanu had her effort stymied and the final seconds ticked off another Saint Joseph's championship game victory.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Marith Bijkerk made one save on the day for the Hawks, while van Herwijnen was held without a stop.
 
• UMass held a 10-4 advantage in shots, but each team only put two of them on target.  The Minutewomen also earned nine penalty corners to five for Saint Joseph's.
 
• The Hawks have now won four consecutive league titles, the longest stretch since Richmond won five in a row from 2002 to 2006.  The stretch of seven championships in eight seasons is the best such run in league history as well.
 
• Borensztein was chosen to the All-Championship Team for the fourth time in her career.  She was joined on the squad by Duffhuis, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, as well as Celeste Smits and Manu Ghigliotti.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will learn their NCAA First Round opponent during Sunday night's selection show, which will air on NCAA.com at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.