Box Score DOYLESTOWN (PA) – On a frigid afternoon in the second annual Battle for the Bucks-Mont Hammer, visiting Arcadia University outlasted Delaware Valley University, 9-8, to claim its first victory in the rivalry series.
The series began last year and is set to be a cornerstone for the two young teams for years to come. The name refers to the location of the two schools (Delaware Valley in Bucks County and Arcadia in Montgomery County), while the sledgehammer was chosen as the keepsake to represent the blue-collar mentality shared by the two programs.
In this year's edition, it was the Knights (1-3) who got on the board first with an unassisted tally from Tanner Pajakinas just 130 seconds into the game. The Aggies (1-2) responded with two goals separated by just over three minutes. Reigning Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Rookie of the Year P.J. Rafferty scored first followed by
Jon Knode, who was set up by
Matt Brady to put DelVal ahead with 7:28 left in the opening quarter. Arcadia got one back in the final two minutes of the stanza when Austin Williams found Nick Ferraro who scored in tight to tie the game going into the second.
Williams then set up Ryan Mahon for his first of the day and a 3-2 Knights lead early in the second quarter. They would extend their lead to two goals when Clo Muscara capitalized during a man-up situation with 9:45 left in the second. DelVal's
Jordan Smith got one back with 6:23 to play before the half, but Muscara found the back of the net with just two seconds before the halftime whistle for a 5-3 Arcadia lead at the break.
The Aggies came out of the locker room and played lockdown defense in the third quarter as they outscored the Knights, 2-0, in the stanza to tie the game. Rafferty played a role in both goals as he notched an unassisted tally before setting up
Chris Coyle for his first goal of the year.
Arcadia started the fourth quarter with a man-up situation and scored 12 seconds in to regain the lead. One minute and 20 seconds later, a miscue resulted in DelVal putting the ball in its own net for 7-5 Knights' lead. Arcadia tacked on one more two minutes later when Muscara found Ryan O'Leary for his first of the game and a three-goal lead with 11:16 left in regulation.
Coyle responded on the other end with his second of the day less than two minutes later, but the Knights came right back with Pajakinas to Muscara to make it 9-6 with 8:24 on the clock.
The Aggies fought hard in an effort to comeback and earned a man-up situation with 8:04 remaining. They capitalized when
Jordan Smith found Coyle open up top and he ripped one past the keeper to pull DelVal within two, 9-7, with 7:33 left. Less than three minutes later, Coyle dashed down the right side and beat the goalie on the short side to make it 9-8.
The Aggies earned two more, one-minute, man-up advantages in the final 4:05. They managed one shot on the first advantage and three on the second, but Arcadia's defense held strong and the Knights escaped with the 9-8 victory and the Bucks-Mont Hammer.
Coyle scored four goals for DelVal, all in the second half, to finish with a team-best four points. Rafferty scored twice and picked up one assist for three points.
Jordan Smith had a goal and an assist for two points while Knode tallied once.
Danny Smith led the way defensively with seven ground balls and three caused turnovers while Hardy followed with four ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Cori Grobes earned three caused turnovers and
Nic Brown made six saves in his second consecutive start in goal.
Arcadia was led by four points from Muscara on three goals and one assist to go with four ground balls. The Knights had six different goal scorers in all including two from Ferraro. Williams did not score but was important to the offense, picking up three assists. Conor Cunningham was 10-for-16 on faceoffs and picked up four ground balls while Danny Lipkin went the distance in goal and made 12 saves.
DelVal will be back in action when it travels to Virginia Wesleyan College on Wednesday, March 8 for a 7 p.m. start.
