LANCASTER, Pa. – Ursinus scored two goals in the final 6:33 of the game on Sunday, propelling the Bears (14-5) to their ninth Centennial Conference field hockey championship with a 2-0 win over top-seed Franklin & Marshall (17-2) at Tylus Field. 

The Bears improved to 9-0 all time in Centennial title games and will return to the NCAA tournament after a one-year absence as they earned the conference's automatic bid.

Sophomore defender Megan Keenan (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) was named as the tournament MVP as she scored three goals in the Bears win over Dickinson in the Centennial semifinal. 

As for Sunday's game, the first half played to a 0-0 tie as F&M owned a 6-2 edge on shots.

In the latter part of the second half, Ursinus started to get more chances at the cage as they had 13 penalty corners. 

The first goal came at 63:27 when freshman defender Annie Kopera (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) fed sophomore forward Devin Brakel (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor Plainsboro North) in the middle of the circle. Kopera had stole the ball on the sideline and was able to feed it to Brakel for the goal.

Less than 1:15 later, freshman forward Amber Steigerwalt (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) scored on a rebound of a save by F&M goalkeeper Avery Koep for the second goal of the game. 

Sophomore goalkeeper Danielle DeSpirito (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) pitched the shutout, making four saves on the day.