RICHMOND, Va. – The Saint Joseph's field hockey team won its fifth consecutive Atlantic 10 championship on Saturday, beating top-seeded Richmond, 2-0, at Crenshaw Field.
 
With the win, the Hawks have punched their ticket to the NCAA Championship.  The full field and the tournament bracket will be announced on Sunday evening.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• It was the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, Milou Kluyt, who put the Hawks on the board less than five minutes into the first quarter.  Emily Tammaro collected her third assist of the tournament with the insert before Talya Harvey stopped it for Kluyt; Kluyt fired home her third goal in two games and her fifth in three to give the Hawks the lead.
 
• The Hawk defense stifled Richmond (12-8) throughout the game, but the Spiders managed their lone shot on goal in the second quarter; Paige Kieft was on the spot for the save to keep the Hawks on top heading into the break.
 
• Saint Joseph's (11-9) kept up the defensive pressure throughout the second half, denying the Spiders a look at goal.  With the cage empty and a minute to go in the game, Ava Smith fired home an insurance goal to seal the deal for the Hawks.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• The Hawks outshot the Spiders. 7-2, with both Richmond attempts coming in the second quarter.  Kieft made the game's lone save.
 
• The win gives the Hawks their fifth consecutive league title and their eighth in nine seasons.  That matches Richmond's five-year streak from 2002 to 2006 for the second-longest run in Atlantic 10 history; UMass holds the longest streak, winning six in a row from 1996 to 2001.

• Kluyt was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the All-Championship Team by Kieft, Tammaro, Tristan Groff, and Emma Winther.
 
HAWK TALK
"It's hard to put into words how it feels to go and do what we did this week," head coach Hannah Prince said after winning the ninth Atlantic 10 title of her playing and coaching career.  "Both Richmond and VCU are talented teams, and the fight and grit and relentlessness that we showed and coming together at the time of the season when it matters the most has been so rewarding for the staff and our players.
 
"I told them after the game that this is what we prepared for, so no matter what ups and downs we've had on and off the field, we were able to show that we played as a team, we played with heart, we executed our game plan beautifully and put the ball in the back of the net when it mattered and sealed the deal in the last minute of the game.
 
"These wins are incredibly hard-fought; I give credit to all of the A-10 teams for the seasons they had.  I am super proud of the Hawks and cannot wait to continue this dance with them this season!"
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will learn their NCAA Championship assignment on Sunday night.  Opening round games are set for Wednesday, November 12, with the First Round scheduled for November 14.