Box Score Lakewood, N.J. - Georgian Court University women's lacrosse returned to prominence Sunday afternoon as the Lions doubled up #3 Philadelphia University, 16-8, to earn the 2017 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women's Lacrosse Championship crown!

GCU (13-8), winners of 12 straight contests, earns the third conference title (2010, 2011) in program history as the Lions ran the table with a perfect 11-0 mark vs. CACC competition in 2017.

The final score was unforeseen as top-seed Georgian Court owned a slim 6-5 advantage heading into intermission. The Lions registered the first three goals of the game before the Lady Rams (10-8) countered with four tallies of their own, including three from Isabella DiGnazio (Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa.). GCU accounted for three of the stanza's next four goals to enter the break with the edge.

Kathryn Avanzato (Jr.-Lake Grove, N.Y.) knotted the score at 6-6 with a Philadelphia goal just 1:45 into the second half. The Lions would ring home two of the contest's next three tallies to claim a slight 8-7 surplus with 21:51 to go. 

CACC Player of the Year, Samantha Fernandez, who was held at bay by Philly to this point, unleashed the fury and tore apart the Lady Rams' defense with five goals over an 11:24 time frame to give the Lions an untouchable 14-8 lead with 7:48 to go. Xena Valenzuela (5:21) and Arianna Quinlan (2:40) added an insurance goal each in the remaining minutes to tie a nifty blue and gold bow on the conference crown.

Fernandez's five goals on the day gives the sophomore 74 on the season, breaking the previous team-high of 71 set by Ryan McGrath in 2011.

Valenzuela, Taylor Bauerband and Nicole Barbella all enjoyed hat tricks for the victors with senior Kayanna Chandler also netting a goal in her final collegiate contest. Fernandez, Valenzuela and Angelina Palermo earned spots on the All-Tournament Team.

However, it was GCU goalkeeper, Amber Neumann, who was the star of the show as the sophomore shot-stopper collected a game-best 16 saves en route to being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

The Lions join Philadelphia (2009, 2014, 2016) and Holy Family University (2012, 2013, 2015) as three-time CACC champions.