WASHINGTON, D.C.  — The Catholic University field hockey team won the Landmark Conference Championship on Saturday afternoon, defeating Moravian 4-2.

Junior Mary Parker was named Landmark Conference Championship Most Valuable Player after scoring two pivotal goals in the contest.

Catholic came flying out of the gates, outshooting the Greyhounds 9-1 in the first quarter and emerging with a 2-0 lead. Parker scored with a brilliant shot that went in off of the inside of Brooke Wilkinson's left-hand post seven minutes into the first stanza. Just 41 seconds later, sophomore defender Emma Shallow doubled the Cardinal lead following a penalty corner.

Parker struck again three minutes into the second quarter, when she weaved through two defenders and picked out the bottom corner to finish off a dazzling solo run.

Up 3-0, Catholic had chances to take severe control of the contest, but Jenna Segrave produced a brilliant defensive save when she smacked the ball out of mid-air right right before it passed over the goalline. Then, Wilkinson made a massive save, diving to her right to deny Mary Rojack's penalty stroke.

Moravian built on that momentum, scoring twice in the final five minutes of the second stanza to cut the Cardinal lead to one. Brooke Sodl got the Greyhounds on the board when she was able to scramble home a rebound after Abigail Kearney kept out an Emily Wells shot. Wells then assisted Segrave, who fired a rocket low after a penalty corner to score with just 21 second left in the half.

Senior Molly McEvoy scored her team-leading 14th goal of the season with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter to extend Catholic's lead. Sprinting forward on a fast break, she received a pass from Niki Micciche and fired in a low shot that beat Wilkinson to give the Cardinals more breathing room.

Catholic's defense ultimately solidified the victory, not allowing Moravian to score or even muster a shot on cage in the second half of play. Gracie Burford and Rojack were especially strong on the day.

The Cardinals hoist the Landmark Conference trophy for the first time since 2015 as Head Coach Rachel Palumbo has now won three postseason games in her first two years at Catholic.

The team will now turn its attention to the NCAA DIII Field Hockey Selection Show to learn who it will face next. The selection show will take place Sunday at 10:30 p.m.