FREDERICK, Md. - Hood College senior Eric Diehl (Damascus, Md./Gaithersburg) gave the Blazers an early lead on Senior Day, but Alvernia scored twice in the second half to claim a 2-1 win in a Commonwealth Conference match up.

Diehl and classmates Anthony Belnomi (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's), Nickolas May (Damascus, Md./Damascus), Chris Mahone (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point), David Langan (Finksburg, Md./Westminster), and Ian McDonald (Elkton, Md./North East) were honored in a pregame ceremony.

Once the action was underway, Juliano Pillari (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) sent a ball ahead and Diehl outran the keeper and found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute.

McDonald faced two shots in the next 10 minutes, but turned both away and Hood went into the intermission leading 1-0. 

In the 70th minute, the Crusaders were awarded a penalty kick and Josh Wollaston converted to tie the game at 1-1. Wollaston added an assist to his day in the 83rd minute, when he assisted on Alex Martyn's game winner. 

Hood had a late chance for the tie, but a shot by Joey Fontanez (Severna Park, Md./Chesapeake) was saved by Alvernia's Matt Wells.

McDonald finished the day with six saves for the Blazers. Wells made a pair of saves for the Crusaders.

With the loss, Hood is tied for sixth place in the Commonwealth Conference, with top five teams making the conference tournament at the end of the regular season. The Blazers, along with Stevenson, Albright and Arcadia, are three points behind Lycoming and Lebanon Valley for the final playoff spots. The Dutchmen and Warriors have 10 points apiece, while the sides in the four-way tie for sixth each have seven.

Hood hosts the Mustangs on October 30 at 3:30 p.m. and heads to Williamsport on November 2 to close out the regular season against the Warriors.