GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Kristen Zublin registered a hat trick as the No. 5 Franklin & Marshall field hockey team defeated Gettysburg 3-1 to lock up homefield advantage in the Centennial Conference (CC) playoffs for the second straight year. The Diplomats (15-1, 9-0 CC) have now won 15 straight games and 22 consecutive CC regular season contests, while the Bullets (11-4, 6-3 CC) drop to third place in the standings with one conference game remaining.

For the second straight game, the Diplomats found themselves facing an early deficit as Gettysburg's Emily Kleinburd finished a close-range strike from the left side off a rebound from a blocked shot to put the Bullets on top 1-0 in the seventh minute. 

F&M answered right back seven minutes later. Dana Venditti dribbled down the right side and sent a hard cross to the front of the goal, where Zublin found an opening in the Bullet defense and chipped it into the top of the cage to knot the score at 1-1.

Back-to-back tallies from Zublin in the 30th and 32nd minutes completed the hat trick for the senior forward, who now has a team and conference-leading 16 goals on the year. Katie Cecere assisted on Zublin's second score, while Maria Guarisco notched the other helper to make it a 3-1 F&M edge.

F&M held a 14-11 advantage in shots, while Gettysburg posted a 7-6 edge in penalty corners.

Goalkeeper Avery Koep turned away six shots in the win, while Megan Feeg totaled five stops for the Bullets in a losing effort.

The Diplomats will wrap up their regular season on Saturday at Dickinson. The CC matchup is slated for 11:00 a.m. in Carlisle, Pa.

 #5 F&M (15-1, 9-0 CC) vs. Gettysburg (11-4, 6-3 CC)

 Goals by period       1  2  Tot
 -------------------------------
 F&M.................  3  0 -  3
 Gettysburg..........  1  0 -  1
 
 SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.   6:06 GC Emily Kleinburd (3) (unassisted) - From 5 yards out on left after blocked shot
  2.  13:52 F&M Kristen Zublin (14) (Dana Venditti) - Chip into top of cage off hard cross from right
  3.  30:16 F&M Kristen Zublin (15) (Katie Cecere) - From inside left post off cross from right
  4.  32:14 F&M Kristen Zublin (16) (Maria Guarisco) - In front of cage, passed down from right elbow

 Shots: F&M 14, Gettysburg 11
 Saves: F&M 6 (Avery Koep 6), Gettysburg 8 (Megan Feeg 5; TEAM 3)