(box score)
Widener erased two first-half deficits, but could not manage to hold off Alvernia in the second half and was dealt a 4-2 Commonwealth Conference loss at Edith R. Dixon Field.
Alvernia jumped to a 1-0 lead just 5:48 into the contest. After a scrum in front, the visitors were given a penalty stroke, which Lauren Guido fired into the upper right corner for the early lead.
Freshman Hannah Dinsmore (Wayne, PA) drew Widener even at 1-1 less than four minutes later, burying her first collegiate goal from the top of the circle.
It took Alvernia less than one minute to regain the lead after being awarded another penalty stroke. Tonya Rutt stepped up and put it away to give the Crusaders a 2-1 advantage.
The seesaw battle continued when freshman Samantha Balonis (Northumberland, PA) played a ball across to junior Colleen Cormier (Westampton, NJ), who knotted the score at 2-2 with her team-leading ninth goal.
Alvernia gained control early on in the second half. Guido notched her second goal of the game just 3:24 into the period for what proved to be the game-winner, following an assist from Katy Eby. Rutt scored her second from the top of the circle in the 51st minute after receiving a pass off a penalty corner from Erin Solley. The Crusaders (9-7, 3-2 CC) earned a 12-4 shots edge in the second stanza.
Samantha Leck made six saves and allowed no goals in just over 52 minutes for Alvernia.
Senior Megan Purcell (Perkasie, PA) made 10 saves for the Pride (8-4, 1-3).
Widener on Saturday travels to Winchester, VA for a Commonwealth Conference game against Shenandoah at 11:00 am.
