The Misericordia University field hockey team is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its first MAC Freedom championship and NCAA Tournament berth.

The Cougars won their last five conference games to finish 5-2 and clinch the third seed in the MAC Freedom Championships.

Misericordia went on the road to avenge both its regular season conference losses to win its first MAC Freedom title and earn its first NCAA Tournament berth.

Lindsay Hischak had a goal and an assist to lead the to lead the Cougars to a 2-1 win at Eastern in the semifinals.

Jennifer O'Neill added a goal and Angela Pasquini made 11 saves as the Cougars advanced to the MAC Freedom title game for the third consecutive season.

O'Neill gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead when she finished a cross from Hischak just 3:47 into the game, but Eastern tied it at 10:13 off a corner when a shot deflected off an MU defender's stick.

Just seconds after an Eastern penalty stroke was wide left, Hischak dribbled the length of the field and tallied an unassisted goal to put MU back in front at 20:34.

Pasquini sandwiched two of her second-half saves around a defensive save by Sam Partington as the Eagles had three shots in a two-minute span late in the second half.

The MU defense didn't allow a shot over the final 10 minutes.

The Cougars went on to beat top-seeded FDU-Florham, 4-3 in double-overtime, in the championship game.

Jennifer O'Neill was named the MAC Freedom Championship MVP after scoring MU's final two goals.

Suzhaunna Lerch and Megan Yeager scored both added goals while Hischak had two assists with Lerch and Samantha Partington adding an assist each.

After a defensive save by Partington early in the first half, FDU-Florham at 8:30.  The Cougars responded less than a minute later with a goal by Lerch off a feed from Hischak.

Yeager gave MU its first lead in the 11^th minute and the Cougars went into the half up 2-1.

Hischak played a ball to Lerch who passed to O'Neill for a goal and a 3-1 lead just five minutes into the second half.

FDU-Florham got a goal in the 52^nd minute and pulled even off a rebound in the 63^rd minute and the Devils tied the game up in the 63^rd minute off a rebound.

Misericordia had a chance to win late in regulation, but O'Neill's breakaway shot was denied.

In the first overtime, the Cougars took eight shots while forcing several tough saves by the FDU-Florham goalie.

Pasquini made a tremendous kick save to keep the Cougars alive early in the second OT.

Six minutes later, Partington found O'Neill for the game-winner from seven yards out in the 95^th minute.