Center Valley, PA (September 27, 2014) – Sophomore Alexa Beaumont scored three goals leading the DeSales University field hockey team to an impressive 4-2 win over Freedom Conference pre-season favorite Delaware Valley College on homecoming Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bulldogs (5-4, 1-0 Freedom), who were selected to finish last in the pre-season coaches poll, open the Freedom Conference season with a victory over the Aggies (5-5, 0-1 Freedom) who were picked first and received four of the eight first-place votes.
 
DVC scored first on Saturday as Kelsey Zook fired a shot past the Bulldog keeper just 1:09 into the game.  The Bulldogs responded tying the game 7:26 later as Beaumont recorded her first tally taking a pass from junior Jesse Marshall on the far post and knocking it in.
 
Just 1:41 later senior Alyssa Malatesta gave DeSales a lead it would never relinquish as the Bulldogs executed perfectly on a penalty corner with Malatesta tipping home a shot from junior Meryah Harding at the top of the circle off a corner feed.
 
Beaumont then made it 3-1 in the 22^nd minute taking a pass from senior Alison Malatesta in the center of the circle and one-timing home a shot into the back of the cage.
 
Zook pulled Delaware Valley back within one goal with 6:20 left to play in the opening half, firing home a shot on a penalty corner off a pass from Lydia Spakosky.
 
In the second-half Beaumont regained the two-goal lead 10:27 into the half when she touched in a ball on the goal line off a shot from Marshall to make it 4-2 and the Bulldog defense did the rest.
 
Junior Becky Rasmuson made six saves to earn the win.  DVC out-shot DSU, 18-17, and had a 10-7 edge in penalty corners.
 
The Bulldogs return to action on Wednesday, October 1^st when they host Immaculata University beginning at 3:30 pm.