LANCASTER (PA) – Reigning Freedom Conference Player of the Year Elise Dauber picked up where she off last season as the senior scored two goals to lead Delaware Valley to a 3-2 victory over Widener University in the opening round of the Franklin & Marshall College Tournament.

The game was the season opener for the Aggies and they advanced to the tournament championship (moved up to 4:15 p.m. on Saturday) where they will meet the host Diplomats, who earned a 1-0 victory over St. John Fischer College. The Pride fell to 1-2-1 on the year.

Dauber, who led the conference in goals (16), game-winning goals (4) and points (39) last season, gave the Aggies a 2-0 lead with an unassisted tally with 17:12 left in the first half. Delaware Valley's first goal was seven minutes earlier and was put into the net by a Widener defender.

It remained 2-0 until Widener's Ashley Koroncai notched an unassisted tally with 16:34 remaining. However, Dauber responded by beating Pride goalkeeper Rochelle Jacobs on a low shot with 5:01 to go. Widener made things interesting a minute later with a goal by Brittany Harvis, but the Aggies held on for the win.

The Pride held a 15-6 advantage in shots and a 9-4 edge in corners. Cortney Bower made four saves to pick up the victory while Jacobs and Alee Gunter had one save apiece for Widener.