DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Alvernia University took a 2-0 halftime lead and then held on at the end for a 3-2, non-conference victory over host Delaware Valley College.

The Crusaders improved their record to 6-3 with the win while the Aggies fell to 7-4. Delaware Valley will host King's College for a Freedom Conference game on Saturday.

Alvernia's Tonya Rutt gave her team a 1-0 advantage just more than 19 minutes into the game as she took a pass from Chelsea Wanamaker and drilled home her sixth goal of the season. The Crusaders added to their lead with just 21.8 ticks remaining in the half as, off a corner, Brittany Barcus re-directed a shot past Aggie goalkeeper Hollis Hancock. It was the first goal of the year for Barcus with both Wanamaker and Samantha Landis picking up assist. It also completed a half that saw Alvernia outshoot Delaware Valley by a 10-1 margin as well as a 7-0 margin in corners.

The second half was a different story as the Aggies mounted a comeback thanks to a 10-5 advantage in shots. Eight minutes into the stanza, Rony Jacober one-timed a crossing pass from Marissa Di Miero past Alvernia keeper Abby Eby to cut the Crusader lead in half. Alvernia bounced back and regained their two-goal advantage just 1:49 later as Landis set up Miranda Peto for her second tally of the season.

Back came the Aggies and it was Jacober again as the sophomore put a Nikki Rogers pass into the back of the cage to make it a 3-2 contest with 22:52 remaining. Jacober now has a team-best seven goals on the year. Delaware Valley then had a golden opportunity with about a minute remaining as a crossing pass could not be re-directed by the left post and it sailed just wide of the net. The Aggies continued the pressure in the final seconds, but could not net the tying tally before the horn sounded.

Eby finished with six saves and the win for Alvernia while Hancock stopped nine shots for Delaware Valley.