LANCASTER, Pa. - The Ursinus College field hockey team are queens of the Centennial Conference once again. Behind their impenetrable defense and an early second-half goal by junior Ann Kopera (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), the second-seeded Bears knocked off top-seeded Franklin & Marshall, 1-0, for their third consecutive CC crown and 11th in the past 12 seasons. Senior Megan Keenan (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) was named tournament MVP for Ursinus, which now awaits its NCAA Tournament seeding later this evening.

Fifth-ranked Ursinus (17-3) controlled the opening half of another defensive struggle with the fourth-ranked Diplomats (16-3), who handed the Bears their lone conference loss earlier this fall. The Bears recorded the game's first nine shots, but were unable to penetrate the Franklin & Marshall cage as the two sides headed into intermission locked in a scoreless stalemate.

It didn't last long. Just 2:32 into the second period, junior Amber Steigerwalt (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) came away from a scrum with the ball on the right side. She quickly slid a pass across to Kopera, who deflected it on net and beat Diplomats keeper Iliana Santangelo with what proved to be the game-winning goal.

Franklin & Marshall put four shots on goal over the final 32 minutes and change, but a Bear was there to deny each one. Senior Danielle DeSpirito (Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood Jr-Sr) notched three saves, and senior Jordan Miller (Stevens, Pa./Cocalico) came up with a crucial defensive save in the 55th minute to stave off a potential equalizer. Although the Diplomats pulled their keeper, Ursinus didn't allow a shot in the final five minutes as the clock wound down on yet another championship celebration.

Ursinus outshot the Diplomats, 12-9, and held a slight edge in penalty corners (9-7) for the afternoon. Keenan led all players with five shots, while Kopera and Steigerwalt registered two apiece. All three of DeSpirito's saves came in the second half as Ursinus held on. Santangelo finished with four saves in defeat.

The latest victory continued a remarkable streak for the Bears, who have never lost in 11 all-time trips to the Centennial Conference final - all in the last dozen years.

Keenan, who was also named MVP of the Centennial Conference tournament in 2013, supplied two goals and two assists during the latest magical run for Ursinus, which completed its 11th shutout of the season and stretched its winning streak to six.

Now all that's left is to wait - as the quest for the NCAA championship begins.