MERION STATION, Pa. – The Saint Joseph's field hockey team turned on the offense in the final three quarters at Ellen Ryan Field on Friday afternoon, dominating La Salle, 7-1, to secure a berth in the Atlantic 10 Championship next week.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• It was La Salle (7-10 overall, 2-4 Atlantic 10) that got on the board first as Matilda Diedrichsen scored on a corner with less than two minutes to go in the first quarter.
 
• The Hawks didn't waste any time getting it back as Ava Smith pressured a La Salle defender into a turnover; a bad pass went directly to the stick of Alison Buffington, who then fed Smith for an equalizer just 54 seconds into the second quarter.
 
• Four minutes later, Saint Joseph's (9-9 overall, 4-2 Atlantic 10) took the lead as Adèle Jardemar's shot on a corner was redirected home by Brooke James for a 2-1 advantage.
 
• The Hawks added another just before the break as La Salle's Abby Boggs made back-to-back saves on two attempts in front, but Lily DeWan made the third time the charm as she potted a rebound for a 3-1 halftime lead.
 
• Milou Kluyt netted a pair of goals on penalty corners in the third, scoring one four minutes into the frame and her second with no time left on the clock.
 
• Buffington added a goal of her own on a feed down the left flank from Carly Hynd with 10:36 to go in the fourth before Hynd set up James for her second of the day just 72 seconds later to set the final margin.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Boggs made eight saves for La Salle, while Paige Kieft made one for the Hawks.
 
• The Explorers recorded the first two shots of the game; the Hawks then collected 22 unanswered over the final three quarters.  Saint Joseph's also held a 14-1 advantage in penalty corners.
 
• The win clinched a postseason berth for the Hawks, marking their 11th consecutive trip to the Atlantic 10 Championship.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will take on VCU in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Championship on Thursday at Richmond's Crenshaw Field.