DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – Second-half goals from
Caylen Taylor and
Maggie Fijal lifted the Delaware Valley field hockey team past Albright, 2-0, on Saturday morning as the Aggies secured their second straight shutout victory.
The Aggies controlled the offensive tempo throughout the opening half, generating consistent pressure in the attacking end.
Darby Rusk looked to add to her season goal tally in the ninth minute, firing a shot that was blocked by the Lions' defense.
Abby Jones collected the loose ball and quickly followed with another attempt, but the shot was turned away.
DelVal continued to apply pressure in the second quarter, with Kyle Conley and
Savannah Weaver recording back-to-back shots in the 19th minute. The Aggies earned three more penalty corners in the frame, creating additional opportunities for
Maggie Fijal, Conley,
Emma Schueller and Weaver. Despite the sustained attack, the Lions' defense held firm, keeping DelVal off the board and sending the teams into halftime scoreless.
Albright opened the third quarter with an early scoring opportunity, but the Aggies quickly regained control and returned the pressure to the Lions' defensive end.
Caylen Taylor finally broke through in the 32nd minute, finding the back of the cage on an unassisted tally to give DelVal the 1-0 advantage.
The Aggies continued to dictate the attack following the go-ahead goal, firing off 11 shots over the next 20 minutes while keeping Albright under pressure. DelVal's persistence paid off again when Conley connected with Fijal, who finished the opportunity to double the advantage at 2-0. The Lions managed one final attempt before the horn, but
Shaelynn Castanaga-Acerra turned it away to preserve the shutout and secure the victory.
Fijal paced the DelVal attack with six shots, placing five on goal, while Weaver followed with five attempts and three on target.
Gracyn Shutt played the opening 45 minutes in the cage while Castanaga-Acerra took over the duties in the final frame. Each goalie recorded a single save in the game.
The Aggies return to action Friday, Sept. 11, when they hit the road for the first time this season to take on Eastern at 4 p.m.
