Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey field hockey team raced out to a three-goal lead in the first half before holding off a late rally by Alvernia University to come away with a 3-2 victory on Sunday at Lions' Stadium.

TCNJ (4-1) needed only 1:50 to get on the scoreboard as Camille Passucci (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls) knocked in a pass from freshman Erin Waller (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.). Passucci started the play inserting the ball on a penalty corner, before taking the return pass from Waller.

Senior Alex Okuniewicz (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) made it 2-0 as she laced a penalty stroke past the Alvernia keeper. That goal came with 10:19 remaining before the break.

The Lions were done scoring in the opening frame thanks to freshman Erin Healy (Spring Lake Heights, NJ/Manasquan). Healy made a nice play redirecting a pass from Okuniewicz for her second goal of the season five minutes later.

The Crusaders (3-2) made things interesting in the final 10 minutes of the game scoring a pair of goals. Katy Eby (New Holland, PA/Garden Spot) got the first of those with 6:15 left and just under two minutes later Tonya Rutt poked in a rebound making it a one-goal game.

TCNJ goalie Shannon Syciarz (Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) finished with four saves, while Alvernia's Erin Wunsch (West Lawn, PA/Wilson) had 12.

TCNJ are back on the field on Tuesday, September 20 for a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest at Richard Stockton College. Game time is 7 p.m.