Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Senior Kristen Zublin scored all three goals for Franklin & Marshall College and the fifth-ranked Diplomats topped Gettysburg 3-1 in a big Centennial Conference field hockey match-up Tuesday afternoon at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.

Franklin & Marshall (15-1, 9-0 CC) extended its winning streak to 15 while clinching the top seed and the right to host the upcoming Centennial Conference tournament.

Gettysburg (11-4, 6-3 CC), which saw its four-game winning come to an end, had entered the day tied with Haverford College for second place in the conference standings. Regular-season play wraps up this week, and the top-five teams qualify for the playoffs. Gettysburg and F&M were the only two conference teams in action on Tuesday.

The Diplomats entered the game with one of the top defenses in Division III, ranking third in the nation in goals-against average (0.60). However, senior Emily Kleinburd spotted the Bullets an early lead. Following a Gettysburg corner, junior Liz Baron had her shot from the middle of the circle deflected, but Kleinburd quickly slapped in a rebound from five yards out, beating the goalie inside the right post to make it 1-0. It was Kleinburd's third goal in her last four games.

Zublin struck for the first time with 21:08 remaining in the first half, putting a stick on a well-struck cross by Dana Venditti to chip it high into the cage. She put the Diplomats in front for good when she scored from the left post, this time on a feed from Katie Cecere, as F&M assumed a 2-1 advantage with 4:44 to go in the period.

It was déjà vu nearly two minutes later, when Zublin accepted a pass from the right and converted inside once again. Maria Guarisco delivered the ball from the right wing before Zublin deposited her 16th goal of the year as the Diplomats took a 3-1 lead into the break.

The Bullets stepped up defensively in the second half. Gettysburg turned aside all five of F&M's shots on goal in the period, including three defensive saves. Junior Erica Barbuto turned in a highlight-reel stop on a fast break with just under 12 minutes left, diving  to get a stick on a Zublin offering inches from the goal line.

Senior Megan Feeg finished with five saves in goal for the Bullets while junior Avery Koep stopped six shots for the Diplomats.

F&M outshot (14-11) and out-cornered (7-6) Gettysburg by slim margins.

The Bullets conclude the regular season with a crucial Centennial Conference game on Friday, hosting Johns Hopkins University starting at 3:30 p.m.