DOYLESTOWN (PA) – The Delaware Valley University field hockey team earned a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over visiting Albright College as Alexa Aguilar fired a shot into the back of the cage 5:12 into the first overtime.

With a new overtime format in place for the 2018 season, the two teams took to the field knotted at two apiece for the seven-on-seven extra period. The Aggies (2-0) started the period a man-down and fought off two early attempts by the Lions (1-2), with Mackenzie Harper making a big defensive save during the spurt.

Albright was issued two yellow cards in a span of 3:53 and DelVal took advantage. Gillian Nardelli slid a pass through to Madi Colon who one-touched a ball over to Aguilar stationed in front of the cage. She gathered and lifted a hard shot past the keeper to lift the Aggies to victory and send the home team fans into a frenzy.

Albright controlled much of the first half and outshot DelVal 12-3 with a 13-0 edge in corner opportunities, with its best chance coming with 2:50 remaining in the first half and a penalty stroke chance for sophomore Bailey Lehman. She ripped a shot low to the left side, but DelVal sophomore Kita Konerth dove across to keep the ball out and the game scoreless.

The Aggie offense immediately countered with a rush the other way that culminated with a Courtney Austin tally, her second of the season. Austin gathered a ball in front of the cage and slid it past the keeper for the unassisted tally and a 1-0 lead at halftime.

The Lions came out in the second half and ripped off five shots with two corner opportunities in the first two minutes, 40 seconds. However, DelVal's offense sprinted back the other way and Ashley Smith picked up her first collegiate point as she snuck a low shot past the keeper from 10 yards out to put the Aggies up 2-0 with 29:45 still to play.

Four minutes later, the Lions capitalized on their seventeenth corner opportunity of the afternoon to cut their deficit in half. Jennifer Crumling took the corner and set up Lindsey Hecker at the top of the arch who blasted one into the cage.

With another corner attempt just over ten minutes later, Hecker notched her second of the afternoon with a similar shot to tie the game at 2-2 with 14:27 left and, ultimately send the contest to overtime for Aguilar's heroic finish.

In the blistering heat, Konith played 70 strong minutes in the cage and recorded 17 saves in her first start as an Aggie. Rosie Bishop relieved her for the overtime period and made three saves to earn the win. Harper and Mackenzie Rickerhauser each picked up defensive saves and Aguilar, Austin and Smith were the goal scorers with Colon and Nardelli picking up assists.

Albright finished with a 23-6 advantage in shots on goal and 25 corner attempts to DelVal's zero. Hecker scored both goals and Jennifer Crumling, Nicole Crumling and Lehman got the assists. Aileen Taylor played the first half in the cage and made one save with one goal against and Brynne Schoppe went the rest of the way with two saves and two goals against.

The Aggies will look to keep the winning ways going when the host New England College on Saturday (Sept. 8) at 1 p.m.