Alvernia Advances To NCAA Second Round With 2-1 Win At Lynchburg

Crusaders Play At #3 Messiah College On Friday Morning
 
Lynchburg, VA (Nov. 9, 2005) - Junior forward Megan Novogratz (Allentown, PA/Central Catholic) scored the latter of two second-half goals to give Alvernia College a 2-1 win over Lynchburg College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship Wednesday afternoon at Lynchburg.
            Novogratz collected a shot off the goalie's pads in a scramble in front of the net with 21:39 left to play and shoved home her 20th goal of the season to give Alvernia (18-3) the win in its first NCAA appearance.  The Crusaders will travel to national #3 Messiah College for a 10:00 a.m. game in Grantham, Pa., on Friday.  William Smith and the winner of the Washington & Lee/Montclair St. game will also play a second round game at Messiah on Friday.
            Alvernia held a slight edge in offensive opportunities in the first half, but it was Lynchburg senior Andrea Flemming (Milford, DE) who finished a chance for the hosts just under 10 minutes into the game.  Novogratz whistled a shot wide with the score still knotted at 0-0, and junior Jessie Titus (Leesport, PA/Schuylkill Valley) directed a pass wide right that could have given the guests a lead.  The Crusaders best early chance came midway through the opening frame when Titus and Becky Macchione (Richland, PA/Conrad Weiser) tore downfield on a 2-on-1, but Macchione was denied on the left post by Lynchburg defender Morgan Crandall (Belfast, ME).
            Flemming, a first team All-American last season, slapped a shot from close range under Alvernia keeper Carey Manzolillo (Bernville, PA/Governor Mifflin) to give the Hornets the early 1-0 advantage.  The Crusaders held a 7-5 lead in shots and a 7-4 advantage in corners during the first half, but trailed 1-0 on the scoreboard at intermission.
            Alvernia turned up the offensive pressure early in the second half earning a corner with just under five minutes gone.  Sophomore Amber Landis (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata) pushed the ball to Macchione to start the play and her initial drive was blocked.  Macchione regained control and avoided a second defender before passing the ball into the fray in front of Lynchburg goalie Elizabeth Foskey (Williamsburg, VA).  Titus pushed the ball past Foskey and Landis finished the play to knot the score at 1-1 with 29:51 on the second half clock.
            Novogratz scored in similar fashion eight minutes later with a half dozen or more players within just a few feet of the goal cage.
            Play remained back and forth for the middle of the second half, but the Hornets turned up the offensive heat in the final 10 minutes of play.  Manzolillo made big save on a corner with 5:33 left to play and kicked out another threat in the final minutes.  Flemming had another chance with under two minutes to play, but ripped a shot wide on a restart from the top of the circle.
 
Alvernia 2, Lynchburg 1
 
 Alvernia College (18-3) vs. Lynchburg College (15-7)
 Date: 11/9/05       Attendance: 166
 Weather:
 
 Goals by period       1  2  Tot
 -------------------------------
 Alvernia College....  0  2 -  2
 Lynchburg College...  1  0 -  1
 
 SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.   9:45 LC Andrea Fleming (24) (Samantha Howard)
  2.  40:09 ACFH Amber Landis (5) (Jesse Titus)
  3.  48:21 ACFH Megan Novogratz (20) (unassisted)
 
 Shots: Alvernia College 12, Lynchburg College 15
 Saves: Alvernia College 4 (Carey Manzolilo 4), Lynchburg College 3
 (Elizabeth Foskey 3)