Reading, Pa. (Nov. 2, 2016) – Second-seeded Alvernia University (19-1) got a penalty stroke goal in the 67^th minute for a 2-1 win over #3 Arcadia University (6-14) Wednesday evening in a MAC Commonwealth Field Hockey semifinal at Alvernia.
 
"We knew Arcadia was going to give us a battle," said Alvernia head coach Laura Gingrich after the win.  "They have been coming on strong here late in the season.  They play a different style of game that we're used to.  I think our girls adapted well in the second half. Moving some players around helped us become more offensive."
 
Alvernia—ranked 16^th in the latest NFHCA Coaches Poll—ramped up the pressure in the second half earning 12 second half penalty corners and posting 15 of its 20 shots after the break.
 
Arcadia opened the scoring in the second minute of play when a lifted restart along the right sideline bounced passed the final Alvernia defender.  Arcadia's Allie Hines turned it into a breakaway carrying the ball into the circle before feeding it to Lindsay Tobey who blasted a shot into the cage.
 
The Crusaders had their first good chance in the 17^th minute when junior Haley Knowlton pulled the ball across the front of the cage and ripped a shot.  Arcadia keeper Brittany Hodson slid across the face of the net and stacked the pads to preserve the 1-0 lead.
 
Alvernia was able to find the equalizer in the 25^th minute when MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Year Margaret Wentzel finished off a pass from Andrea Wysocki.
 
The Crusaders had advanced into the circle from a restart on the right side and Wysocki turned with possession and fed a diagonal pass to Wentzel who needed one touch to get into shooting position then found space inside the right post for her 18^th goal of the season—and 91^st of her career, two short of the Alvernia career record.
 
Arcadia had a pair of chances in the final four minutes of the second half, but Rebecca Brosious saved a shot from Hines and Kristen Myer earned a defensive save turning away a shot off a corner.
 
Alvernia had a stretch of three straight corners in the first three minutes of the second half, but couldn't generate a shot until Knowlton and Malorie McCoy had back-to-back shots on the third corner that were both turned aside by Hodson.
 
Ten minutes later Wentzel had a pair of shots that resulted in a save and a block, then with under 20 minutes to go the Alvernia offense really started to press getting a straight of seven straight corners with five shots.  Hodson saved the first three, the fourth went wide, and the defense earned a block on the fifth.
 
Arcadia tilted the field in the opposite direction earning two corners of its own, but couldn't put a shot on net, and back came the Crusaders with more pressure.  The 15^th and final corner of the night for the hosts eventually resulted in the penalty stroke for Krall with three minutes left, and she made good on the attempt.  Hodson was able to get a pad on the stroke, but it had enough pace to carry into the cage.
 
Arcadia pulled its goalie with just under two minutes to go and put two shots on net that were both saved by Brosious.
 
Alvernia advances to the MAC Commonwealth Final and will either travel to top-seeded Messiah College or host #4 Lebanon Valley.
 
The Crusaders are making their third finals appearance since joining the league in 2009, and are seeking their first MAC Commonwealth title.  They have faced Messiah College in each of the first two finals.
 
#2 Alvernia 2, #3 Arcadia 1