MADISON (Nj.) – The Delaware Valley University field hockey team opened Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom play at FDU-Florham on Friday night and was narrowly edged in a 2-1 defeat despite a flurry of shot attempts late in regulation.

The Devils (5-3, 2-0 MAC Freedom) broke the 1-1 tie early in the fourth quarter off a corner play that saw Dominique Rodriguez take a hard shot from up top that was blocked by an Aggie defender. The ball caromed back to Rodriguez who slid a pass to Erin Kay and she rolled into the cage for her first goal of the season to make it 2-1.

DelVal field hockey (3-5, 0-1 MAC Freedom) battled over the remaining 13:31 of play and fought off four FDU corner attempts before going on to work in the offensive end. Over the final seven minutes, the Aggies put seven shots toward the cage and had three corner attempts, but could not find the tying goal. Ashley Birmingham, Olivia Rexrode, Sadie Strober, and TJ Smith all put shots on goal that were defended by Devils keeper Emily Prachthauser.

After a scoreless first quarter, Rodriguez put the home team on the board with her first goal of the season off a pass from Julianna Medina.

Less than 10 minutes later, Birmingham tied the game for the Aggies with her fourth of the season. It was a well-executed corner play started by Kenzie Boyd and played to Strober who slid it over to Birmingham for a one-timer. It was Strober's second assist of the year.

Alyssa Rudd played all 60 minutes in cage for DelVal and recorded four saves while Prachthauser stopped six at the other end.