DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley University nearly rallied from a five-goal, fourth-quarter deficit, but it was visiting King's College that held on for the 8-6, Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom victory.
 
The Monarchs improved to 6-5 overall, 3-1 and in second place in the conference standings. The loss dropped the Aggies to 3-10 and 1-3 with three regular-season games remaining.
 
King's led 7-2 heading into the fourth quarter when DelVal's Bryan Thompson won the opening faceoff. Exactly a minute in, Dylan Brasch set up Chris Coyle for the senior's second goal of the game. Thompson then won the ensuing draw, raced down the field and scored 10 seconds after Coyle's tally to make it a 7-4 contest.
 
A penalty was called as Thompson scored and DelVal was a man up for the next minute. Thompson won the faceoff as Coyle picked up the loose ball. Thirty seconds later, Coyle fed Brasch, who scored on the extra-man opportunity to make it a two-goal game.
 
Neither team scored for the next eight minutes until the Aggies fired off five consecutive shots. The fifth found the net as PJ Rafferty came around the goal and snuck one past King's goalkeeper Matt Baile and, all of it sudden, it was 7-6 with 5:08 remaining.
 
Thompson won yet another faceoff and, following a timeout, DelVal got another shot off but Basile. The Aggies picked up the ground ball following the save, but turned it over shortly after. The Monarchs came down the field and Shawn Dickey fired one into the net to make it 8-6 with 3:27 to go.
 
DelVal had two possessions in the final minutes, but turned it over each time and King's escaped with the key conference victory.
 
The Monarchs built a 5-1 lead in the opening quarter, including two each from Jared Gambino and Brett O'Neill. The Aggies lone tally in the first was by Rafferty. Rafferty then assisted on the only goal in the second as he fed Coyle for a laser and a 5-2 score at the break. Ryan Matusiewicz and Gambino made it 7-2 with third-period goals before King's had to hold on at the end.
 
DelVal outshot the Monarchs, 50-25, but only 22 of the attempts were on net. King's had a 33-30 edge in ground balls and won 10 of the game's 18 faceoffs. The Aggies forced King's into just a 9-for-16 effort in clears while they were 9-for-13.
 
Coyle and Rafferty each had a three-point day with two goals and one assist apiece. Brasch had a goal and a helper. Thompson was 8-for-17 on faceoff and added a team-high five ground balls while Coyle, Jordan Smith and Jerad Wilson scooped up four ground balls each. Gavin Yingling and Nic Brown each played a half in net and combined for five saves.
 
For the Monarchs, Gambino (three goals,), O'Neill (two goals, one assist) and Brock Johnson (three assists) notched three points apiece. Nick Foley was 10-for-17 on draws and added seven ground balls. Basile was strong in net with 16 stops.
 
DelVal will travel to FDU-Florham for a MAC Freedom game on Saturday, April 21 (1 p.m.).