DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – The Delaware Valley field hockey team gained some late offensive momentum to stuff Neumann's shutout attempt but still couldn't recover from behind falling to the Knights 3-1.
Minutes into play a goalie mishap in the Neumann circle almost resulted in an Aggies' goal. With the ball slowly rolling over the goal line away from the reach of Caley Gee, the Knights' defense managed to draw the foul just mere seconds before eliminating the potential score.
Neumann went on to control the offense, drawing four consecutive corner attempts, each stuffed by the Aggies defense. Goalkeeper
Brooke Golbeski made two key saves while
Kenzie Boyd and
Olivia Rexrode stepped up for the blocks on the other two shot attempts.
One minute into the second quarter the Knights struck with a rocket shot sneaking just past the foot of Golbeski on the left post for the goal, 1-0. Neumann extended its lead nearly five minutes later for the 2-0 advantage. DelVal responded drawing two offensive penalty corners leaving Boyd to fire off a shot for the Aggies, blocked just before the half.
The Knights came out strong from the break converting a penalty corner to push the lead to 3-0. The Aggies struggled to gain offensive momentum. Boyd fired off the only shot of the third quarter for DelVal met by the pads of Gee.
DelVal surged forward drawing five total penalty corners in the final 15 minutes. On the second attempt of the frame, Boyd fired off her final attempt at the cage once again stopped by Gee. Seven minutes later
Brynne Miller tried her hand at scoring sending the ball just wide.
Aggies got on the board, corner Hartung to Miller up top dump right to Boyd for the bouncing shot deflected into the cage off the stick of Fijal. On the final corner of the game, with just 36 seconds left on the clock,
Kaylee Hartung connected with Miller up top for the quick dump pass to Boyd on the left. Boyd fired a bouncing shot toward the Neumann cage catching the stick of
Maggie Fijal for the deflection and the goal, 3-1.
Boyd led the Aggies offense with three shots, two on goal and the lone assist of the game. Golbeski recorded another 60 minutes in the cage making five saves on eight shots faced.
The Aggies return to action this Saturday, Sep. 20 on the road facing Moravian University at 1 p.m.