Reading, Pa. (Nov. 1, 2014) - Senior
Josh Wollaston bent a left-footed shot inside the left post in the 81st minute to lead Alvernia University (10-6-2, 4-3-1) to a 1-0 win over Hood College (8-9-1, 3-4-1) Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Conference men's soccer action at Alvernia.
With the win, the Crusaders earn the #4 seed in the Commonwealth Championships and will host #5 Lebanon Valley College on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. for a play-in game. The winner of Tuesday's game travels to national #1 Messiah College for a semifinal on Thursday. Defending conference champion Lycoming is the #2 seed and will host #3 Arcadia in the other semifinal on Thursday.
Alvernia and Hood played 80 minutes of scoreless soccer before freshman
Devin Wilt slid a pass to Wollaston at the top of the penalty box. Wollaston took a touch to his left and fired a curling shot inside the post for his sixth of the season.
Freshman goalie
Zach Rider made four saves in net for the Crusaders and was aided once by his defense when
Joe Raymond cleared a dangerous shot off the line to preserve the scoreless tie midway through the second half.
Alvernia had a 12-5 lead in shots and a 6-3 edge in corner kicks.
Alvernia and Lebanon Valley played to a 1-1 tie back on October 18. This year's senior class has made the postseason in each of their four years. The Crusaders defeated Lebanon Valley, 2-1 in overtime in 2011 before falling to Messiah in the final, they defeated Arcadia in a play-in game in 2012 before falling to Messiah in a semifinal, then failed to advance in penalty kicks at Elizabethtown last fall.
Alvernia 1, Hood 0
