ASTON (PA) – The Delaware Valley University field hockey team began the 2018 season with a 2-0 blanking of host Neumann University in a non-conference game on Friday.

DelVal had five of the six shots in the opening half as well as three of the four penalty corners. It the fifth shot that found its way into the back of the cage and the goal came thanks to a freshmen tandem playing in their first collegiate game. Jess Dixon had a shot that was stopped and she slid the rebound over to Courtney Austin who deposited her first goal with 5:55 remaining in the stanza.

Dixon then played a role in the Aggies' second goal of the game as she assisted on a tally by sophomore Gillian Nardelli just 6:02 into the second half. Nardelli was the team's second-leading goal scorer a season ago with nine.

The Knights threatened a few times after Nardelli's tally but junior goalkeeper Rosie Bishop was there for two saves. For Bishop, it was her ninth career shutout.

​​​​​​​DelVal finished with a 10-8 advantage in shots while Neumann had 10 of the game's 16 corners. Lizzie Yu made four stops in the loss.

The Aggies will host Albright College for a non-conference game on Wednesday, September 5 (4 p.m.).