READING, Pa. - A pair of late goals by Alvernia pushed the Crusaders past Lebanon Valley in the Commonwealth Conference Tournament semifinals on Wednesday night.

Ahead 1-0 at halftime on Lauren Brumbach's penalty stroke, second-seeded Alvernia (12-7) received goals by Natalie Messaros and Paige Epler 2:52 apart in the second half to advance to Sunday's championship game against Messiah. The third-seeded Dutchmen (14-4) will have to await a possible NCAA at-large berth or an ECAC Tournament invitation on Monday. 

LVC led 8-5 on shots and had a huge 15-5 penalty corner advantage, but couldn't convert any of those opportunities despite having the run of play for most of the second half.

A possession battle developed in the first half, and neither team had a good scoring opportunity until Megan Arnst and Brittany Fleisher got in on the goalkeeper following Brumbach's rebounded chance to draw a penalty stroke at 23:39. Brumbach converted it for her 10th of the season, giving LVC the 1-0 lead.

Lebanon Valley had a pair of three-corner strings in the second half, with Arnst tipping into the side netting on the first and Alvernia repelling the trio later in the half without a shot, but it was Alvernia's second corner of the game that produced the equalized. Summer Liberto injected far-side for Messaros, who lifted high over a helpless LVC defense to make it 1-1 at 53:03. Epler put the hosts ahead 2:52 later, burying Melanie Lowry's rebound off a corner.

The Dutchmen draw five more corners over the final 10 minutes, but managed just one shot as the Crusaders held on for the win.