NEWBERG, Ore - The George Fox women's lacrosse team clinched victory in the Northwest Conference Tournament Championship with a dominant win over the Willamette Bearcats, 17-7, punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

How It Happened
George Fox got on the board first in the rematch of last year's championship game, setting the tone for what would be an intense duel. Ava Bluhm opened the scoring with a free-position shot, before scoring again just a minute later after collecting a ground ball. Willamette retaliated with their opening goal in the sixth minute of play, before the game settled into a tight contest for possession. Bluhm wasn't done, though, tacking on her third goal of the period a few minutes later to put Fox ahead, 3-1, at the end of the quarter. 

The Bruins won the first draw control of the second period, and immediately converted it to a goal on the back of Morgan Maxfield. Less than a minute later Fox scored again, this time off Carleigh DeLapp. The Bearcats kept pace with the Bruins in shots for the quarter, but Emma Webb was unflappable in goal, making three of four saves to hold Willamette to just one score for the period. George Fox finished the half strong with two more goals from Maxfield and Claire Abraham — giving them a clear lead, 9-2.

The Bearcats came out firing after halftime, scoring four goals in the first five minutes of play to narrow the Bruins' lead to five at 10-5. Fox would score just one goal from the quarter, coming from DeLapp in the sixth minute of the period.

George Fox regained offensive momentum in the final quarter, however, going on a five goal run to end the game. Olivia Geyling, Bluhm, and Maxfield all scored within three minutes, before Bruin defender Ana Flores stormed down the field to score, giving Fox the resounding victory and ticket to the NCAA tourney, 17-7.

Top Performers
Ava Bluhm had yet another impressive offensive performance, leading the Bruins with five goals, two assists, and six ground balls. Lana Davis ended the game with three goals and two assists. Defensively, Bluhm also caused four turnovers, while Payton Bergren collected three ground balls.

What This Means
Fox finishes the regular season 15-3, with a perfect 13-0 record against conference opponents, and clinches a spot in the NCAA tournament. Willamette ends the year with a 14-4 record.

What Happens Next
With the win, George Fox has qualified for their fifth straight NCAA Tournament. The Bruins now await the draw on Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. to learn their opponent and time.