Reading, Pa. (Nov. 1, 2010) - Alvernia University has qualfied for the Commonwealth Conference playoffs in field hockey and women's soccer for the first time in its second year in the league.  Both teams earned the fourth seed and will play at top-seeded Messiah College on Wednesday in semifinal action.

The field hockey contest opens the day at 4:00 p.m. with women's soccer to follow at 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices
$5  Adult
$4  Seniors
$2  Students
Children Under 6  FREE

DIRECTIONS to Messiah College

Alvernia Field Hockey advanced to its first Commonwealth bid with a 4-3 conference record.  The Crusaders defeated all four teams below them in the conference stadings while dropping each decision to the other three teams in the championships.  Alvernia and Messiah met in Reading on October 9 with the Falcons -- then ranked #3 in the nation -- taking a 3-0 decision.

Following this year's regular season game Alvernia is 0-3 in the series against Messiah.  The first meeting was in the second round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.  Alvernia defeated Lynchburg College, 2-1 on the road in the first round and the 7-4 loss at Messiah set a record for combined goals in an NCAA Tournament game.

This year's senior class is making its second conference tournament appearance.  The '07 squad defeated Eastern University in penalty strokes to with the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference and the team finished just out of the playoffs in the Freedom Conference in '08 and again in the first year in the Commonwealth Conference in '09.

The other Commonwealth Field Hockey semifinal features #3 Elizabethtown at #2 Lebanon Valley.  Messiah and Lebanon Valley are ranked #1 and #2 in the nation respectively entering this week's games.

Alvernia Women's Soccer is making the first postseason appearance in the history of the program.  Its reward is the same as Field Hockey's with a semifinal game at the #1 ranked team in the nation.  Messiah earned a 3-0 win at Alvernia back on Oct. 19.

Wednesday night's game will feature an auido broadcast through the Messiah website.  Click HERE at gametime to listen to the call.