BOX SCORE

Reading, Pa. (Nov. 8, 2012) - Senior forward Miranda Peto (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) scored 68 seconds into overtime to give fourth-seeded Alvernia University (11-9) a 5-4 win over #5 McDaniel College (9-9) Thursday evening in quarterfinal action of the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Region Field Hockey Championships.

The Crusaders advance to the semifinal for the second straight season and will face #8 FDU-Florham at #2 Lebanon Valley Saturday at 7:30.  The Dutchmen will host #3 Stevens Institute of Tech--the only non-MAC school left in the field--at 5:30 on Saturday.  The Final is scheduled for Sunday also at LVC.

Alvernia, which hadn't played since the end of the regular season back on October 27, showed little effect of time off scoring twice in the opening two minutes.  Freshman Melanie Lowry (Gap, Pa./Octorara) scored her fifth of the season unassisted just 23 seconds after the opening whistle and Kyle Dillman (Hershey, Pa./Lower Dauphin) followed 72 seconds later with her fourth of the year.

McDaniel, which also hadn't played since Oct. 27, answered by pressuring the Alvernia circle and forced three penalty corners and finally a penalty stroke in the 20th minute when Alvernia senior Erin Solley (Reading, Pa./Oley Valley) used her body to keep the ball out of the cage.  Sara Reynolds stepped to the dot for the Green Terror and tried to beat Alvernia keeper Erin Wunsch (West Lawn, Pa./Wilson) stick side, but Wunsch read it beautifully and knocked the shot down.

The Green Terror continued to press breaking through on a goal from leading scorer Paige Messersmith who received a pass on a corner play and rocketed a shot off the back board.

Once again the Crusaders were able to score quickly off the restart when Brittney Barcus (Atglen, Pa./Octorara) fired home her fifth of the season assisted by Lowry.  The pass came across the front of the cage from the left and Barcus beat McDaniel keeper Vicci Alexander who couldn't slide over quick enough.

The goals continued to come quickly in the first half with Messersmith pulling the Green Terror back within an goal on her 18th of the season in the 28th minute and the game hit halftime with Alvernia holding a tenuous 3-2 lead.

The lead grew back to two goals for the Crusaders six minutes into the second half when Barcus scored her second of the game assisted by Lauren Guido (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood), but in reply it was Messersmith again this time setting up a goal by Jayde Kauffman.

The Crusaders held the 4-3 lead into the final minutes of regulation when, with just over two minutes to play Katie Corson found a rebound sitting out in front of Wunsch and lifted it over the goalie and into the cage.

Alvernia drew an untimed corner at the end of regulation, but the attempt from Taylor Eichelberger (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor) was saved by Alexander.

The game went into overtime and as was the theme of the night it was the Crusaders scoring quickly off the restart when Peto recovered a rebound and slipped it past Alexander for the winner.

Wunsch finished the game with four saves while Alexander had nine.

FDU pulled off the only seeding upset of the tournament thus far knocking off top-seeded Wesley College 2-1 in overtime Thursday afternoon.

#4 Alvernia 5, #5 McDaniel 4 (OT)