Love (23), a postgraduate student at Otago Polytechnic, played a key role in Otago's 37-7 win over Manawatu at the North Ground on Saturday.
The Otago forwards dominated the game with a powerful scrum and aggressive driving play.
Love's three tries came after sustained forward pressure by the Otago pack. She used her power and strength to drive over the line twice in the first half and again in the second.
The Spirit won five of its eight games to finish third in the national championship behind Canterbury and Auckland, the teams that will contest the final.
Canterbury won the round robin with 29 points from Auckland 28, Otago 24, Manawatu 16, Counties-Manukau 16, Waikato 15, Wellington 12 and Taranaki 0.
Otago lost its chance of a finals spot when it was beaten by Counties-Manukau in the previous round.
''We had a point to prove and wanted to finish on a high note,'' coach Marty Gray said.
''The girls delivered today. We knew that the Manawatu backs were very sharp and that we had to stop them running by shutting their forwards down.''
The lineout was the only phase of forward play where Manawatu matched Otago.
The powerful Spirit front row of Love, Paige Church and Gemma Tuhega was backed by No 8 Angie Sisifa, who made aggressive runs with the ball, and strong-tackling flanker Rachel Scott.
Fullback Halie Hurring looked dangerous when she joined the line and scored a late try when she broke the defence 35m out.
The midfield of Greer Muir and Lucy Anderson was steady and halfback Deidre Roberts impressed with her swift delivery in her first start of the season.
Anika Tiplady kicked five goals from eight attempts to score 12 of Otago's points.
The best Manawatu player was openside flanker Aroha Nuku, who scored her side's only try late in the first half with a strong 18m run. She was carried off the field late in the game with a broken left ankle and was taken to Dunedin Hospital.
Otago led 18-7 at the break and added three more tries and 19 more points in the second hald.
In other games, Canterbury beat Wellington 53-5, and Auckland beat Waikato 30-8.
Women's championship: The scores
Otago Spirit ... 37
Pip Love 3, Greer Muir, Halie Hurring tries; Anika Tiplady 3con, 2 pen
Manawatu ... 7
Aroha Nuku try; Hayley Hutana con
Halftime: Otago 18-7.
