Box Score DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley University sophomore PJ Rafferty set the school single-game record for assists (five) and points (eight) as he led the Aggies to a 9-7, non-conference victory over visiting Shenandoah University.
 
It was the first win of the young season for DelVal as it improved to 1-1 while they handed the Hornets (2-1) their first defeat of the year.
 
Rafferty was named the 2016 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Rookie of the Year after leading the Aggies with 33 goals and 27 assists for 60 points, all of which are single-season program records. In this game, Rafferty eclipsing the previous single-game point record of seven reached by himself and Austin Sensenig last season. The five assists surpassed the previous mark of four that was accomplished by three different players.
 
Rafferty helped get DelVal on the board first when he found a cutting Nick Shendge who scored from in close just 55 seconds into the contest. The two teams then played nearly eight minutes of scoreless action before Shenandoah tied the game with 6:17 to play in the quarter on a Stephen LaTona goal off the assist from Eric Sawyer.
 
Less than two minutes later, sophomore Chris Johnsen was the beneficiary of another beautiful set up from Rafferty to put the Aggies back on top, 2-1. DelVal was in control most of the first quarter and it was Rafferty who found Shendge two more times in the final minute to give DelVal a three-goal advantage heading into the second.
 
Rafferty then got on the other side of the scoring as he notched his first goal of the game and the season off a feed from Cori Grobes with 8:09 to go before the half to put the Aggies ahead, 5-1. However, the Hornets got the goal back with 1:34 left when Tilghman Sanders fed Ryan Schott who found the back of the cage for a 5-2 score that would hold into halftime. Faceoff specialist Bryan Thompson played a key role in the first-half lead for DelVal as the freshman won all eight of his faceoffs in the first 30 minutes.
 
Shenandoah scored twice in the first nine minutes of the third stanza after Sawyer notched an unassisted tally and LaTona found Schott to make it a one-goal game. Rafferty got one back for DelVal, but it was the Hornets who clawed their way to a 6-6 with 2:13 left in the third after another goal from LaTona was followed by a man-up goal from Sanders.
 
In the final minute of the third stanza, freshman Dylan Brasch put the Aggies back on top with an unassisted tally and they did not relinquish the lead the rest of the way. Rafferty set up Jon Knode early in the fourth quarter for the freshman's first goal of his collegiate career for an 8-6 lead.
 
Michael Brooks got one back for Shenandoah before Rafferty notched his third goal of the afternoon and the record-breaking point with 4:25 to play in regulation to seal the 9-7 victory.

Freshman Nic Brown started in-between the pipes for DelVal and was nothing short of stellar in his collegiate debut. The rookie made 14 saves, including a number of crucial stops when his team needed it most. He was helped by Danny Smith on defense, who had three ground balls and a caused turnover. Thompson finished 12-for-18 on faceoff and also had three ground balls.
 
Shendge scored three times and Knode added two points with a goal and an assist. Brasch and Johnsen each found the back of the net once and Grobes had one assist.
 
LaTona and Schott each recorded two goals and one assist to lead the Hornets with three points apiece. Sanders and Sawyer followed with a goal and an assist as both finished with two points. Brooks scored the other goal for Shenandoah. Ben Judy made 12 saves in goal.
 
DelVal will return to action on Saturday, March 4 (4 p.m.) when it hosts Arcadia University in the Second Annual Battle for the Bucks-Mont Hammer, the rivalry series between the two schools that refers to the location of the two schools (Delaware Valley in Bucks County and Arcadia in Montgomery County) and the sledgehammer which represents the blue-collar mentality shared by the two programs. The Aggies have possession of the hammer thanks to last year's 11-9 triumph in Glenside.