DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley University field hockey kicked off league play as it hosted Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom foe DeSales University on Saturday, but fell 3-2 in regulation.
 
The Aggies dropped to .500 overall with a 4-4 mark and 0-1 in conference games while the Bulldogs improved to 6-2 and 1-0.
 
DeSales scored two goals in a span of 3:17 in the first half, both off or corner plays. For the first, Chelsea DeFrancisco fed Erin Chioffe at the top of the arc and she blasted one into the far post. On the next corner play Chioffe setup Kylie Honnick-Payne to make it 2-0.
 
DelVal responded with two quick goals of its own, the first an unassisted tally by Samantha Collyer on a shot from in tight. Four minutes, 20 seconds later, the Aggies earned a corner and Carly Baldus jumped on a loose ball and shot it through a maze of players and into the cage to tie the game at two apiece.
 
The score remained 2-2 into the second half before Honnick-Payne scored her second of the day and what proved to be the game-winner. DeFrancisco found her open at the side of the far post for her second assist of the game with 5:44 left in regulation and the Bulldogs took the 3-2 win.
 
Corner opportunities proved to be crucial as DeSales finished with a 22-6 advantage in that department to go with a 13-7 edge in shots on goal.
 
Rosie Bishop kept the Aggies in the game down the stretch and finished with 10 saves on the afternoon while Baldus led the team offensively with three shots on goal.
 
For the Bulldogs, Polyviou made five saves and Chioffe registered five shots on goal.
 
DelVal will step back out of the conference for its next contest as it travels to Arcadia University for a 4 p.m. contest on Wednesday, October 4.