LOWER GWYNEDD – Kendall DeLuca heeded teammate Riley Meehan’s advice in the final minute of the third quarter gave the Gwynedd Mercy field hockey team the lead for good Friday afternoon.

“She told me to take it left and I listened to her,” DeLuca said. “And I saw the open spot.”

DeLuca drove around an Oxford defender at the top of the circle on a penalty corner then the junior ripped a shot into the net with 24.9 seconds left in the third, breaking a 1-1 in the District 1-2A fifth-place game.

Meehan extended the host No. 5 Monarchs lead to two early in the fourth while DeLuca completed her hat trick with 8:30 remaining as GMA pulled away to beat the No. 6 Hornets 4-1 to secure a berth in the PIAA tournament.

“I really wanted it today,” DeLuca said. “I know this team deserves to get to

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