A hat trick from freshman Loren Gabel, the first of her career, helped the fifth-ranked Clarkson University Women's Hockey team dominate visiting Brown 7-0 in Cheel Arena on Friday night.

Clarkson improves its record to 25-3-5 overall and 13-3-5 in ECAC Hockey games while Brown drops to 3-22-3 overall with a 1-17-3 conference record. Clarkson's win, combined with results from other games, means that the Golden Knights are locked into second place in the conference regardless of the results of tomorrow's games.

Clarkson got on the board 7:41 into the game through a great individual play by senior assistant captain Olivia Howe. With the Bears working with a man advantage, Howe intercepted a pass near the blue line and then drove past two defenders before burying a shot for her second short-handed goal of the season. Howe added a second goal at 19:10 in the first. She played a quick give and go with freshman Cassidy Vinkle before burying a wrist shot from the right side. Clarkson, not content with its two goal lead, added a third goal with less than five seconds remaining in the first period. Senior captain Shannon MacAulay latched onto the puck in the offensive zone and sent a pass across the ice to Gabel who scored.

The second period was more of the same as the Golden Knights continued to pressure the Bears. 1:43 into the period, Howe played a give and go with junior assistant captain Cayley Mercer and Mercer was able to poke her shot past Brown's goaltender to push Clarkson's advantage to 4-0. Less than three minutes later, Clarkson scored again when senior captain Renata Fast scored a wrist shot from a tight angle on the right side, with sophomore Savannah Harmon picking up an assist. Gabel scored her second goal of the game at 12:02 in the middle frame when junior Genevieve Bannon circled behind the Brown net and then slipped a pass to an unmarked Gabel in the goalmouth.

Gabel completed her hat trick 4:10 into the third period. Bannon again found Gabel, with Gabel this time waiting near the back post. Gabel's first attempt hit the post, but the puck bounced back to Gabel and the first-year forward scored on her second attempt. It is the first hat trick for a Clarkson freshmen since Juana Baribeau scored four goals against Vermont on November 29th, 2008.

Clarkson held a staggering 48-11 advantage in shots. Neither team scored on the power-play with Clarkson getting one chance and Brown getting two. Sophomore goaltender Shea Tiley started the game for Clarkson, making three saves in the first period and junior McKenzie Johnson took over for the final two periods, making eight stops. Monica Elvin had 41 saves in goal for the Bears.

Clarkson will close out the regular season by playing host to Yale in a 4:00 pm game tomorrow afternoon.