Collegeville, PA — There were perhaps more questions than answers following Saturday's national semi-final contest between Messiah and Tufts University, as the top-ranked Falcons dropped a 2-5 decision to the fourth-ranked Jumbos on the campus of Ursinus College.
Messiah — which entered the game riding a 15-game winning streak while allowing just 16 total goals on the season — gave up three second-half scores in the loss, turning a promising, 2-2 game at the half into one of the more disheartening finishes in program history.
The club's 12th trip to the Final Four in school history, Messiah's season ends with an overall record of 17-2.
“We're shaking our heads a little bit right now,” said Jan Trapp, Messiah head coach. “Until I look at the film, I can't say what exactly happened to us. Maybe a little bit of panic set in, I'm not sure. That certainly is not characteristic of this team, but then again, neither is giving up a hat trick in (one) half.”
Trapp's club did exactly that on Ursinus' Eleanor Frost Snell Alumane Field Saturday morning, as Tufts' Tamara Brown single-handedly turned a tie game into a comfortable win for her team. Scores at the 45:22, 51:52 and 53:16 minute-marks stunned Messiah, as Brown's feat was the first hat trick allowed by the Falcons in over five years.
Messiah had done an adequate job of staying within arm's length of Tufts prior to the second period, answering the Jumbos punch for punch. The Falcons successfully shook off a Tufts' goal just 1:22 into play, as the Jumbos' Michelle Kelly scored following the first penalty corner of the day. It took 18 minutes, but Messiah was able to respond next, as senior Nikki Bailey converted a pass from junior Liz Ziegler at the 19:19 mark — a goal that came off the Falcons' second corner of the contest.
Tufts charted the game's next goal with 32:48 elapsed, making the most off a counter-attack to pull ahead 2-1. Just moments after junior Katie Love had a shot blocked, the Jumbos' Lindsay Griffith was able to convert on the other end of the field.
Not a minute would elapse before the Falcons got on the board again, however, as Love ripped a blast from the top of the circle at the 33:36 mark.
Though Tufts had scored first on two occasions, Messiah's rebuttals were potent enough: The Falcons went into the half equaling the Jumbos in total shots (nine apiece) and trailing by just one in penalty corners (six to five).
“I was pretty pleased at half time,” Trapp said. “I thought we were working hard and made some good opportunities for ourselves. There were certainly some things we needed to change, but we didn't change them.”
Messiah's eventual downfall could plausibly be traced to the opening minutes of the second half, where the Falcons recorded six corners in the first 3:45, only to come up empty. Tufts then snuck another counter-attack score into the cage at the 45:22 mark, seemingly letting Trapp's club tire itself on the offensive end before delivering a quick strike on the opposite.
Though the Falcons would continue to push — another penalty corner went unfulfilled at the 48:49 mark — Brown and the Jumbos would capitalize on their chances, tacking on an insurance marker at the 51:52 point. When a corner from Tufts led to a shot that was deflected by Messiah junior goalkeeper Ashley Mowery at the 53:16 mark, Brown was there to poke in the loose change.
Down 5-2, Messiah was staring at its largest deficit of the season — all with just 17:44 to play.
“The wheels kind of fell off for us inside the defensive striking circle today,” Trapp said. “Outside the circle, I thought everyone played quite well. Our tackles were good and we seemed sharp. I thought the first seven to 10 minutes of the second half were a big key for us. When we had those chances and didn't score, it was big. Who knows? If we score one of those, maybe it changes the complexion of the game. Maybe it puts the pressure on Tufts and we have a different outcome.”
By virtue of nine second-half corners, Messiah finished with a 14-9 advantage in that category, though Tufts finished with a slight 18-16 edge in total shots. Mowery finished with five saves in goal. Her five goals allowed was a single-game career high. In fact, Saturday's game was the first in which Messiah allowed an opponent to score five goals since a 5-2 loss to then top-ranked Salisbury College Oct. 1, 2005.
Tufts moves on to Sunday's 2008 NCAA Division III Field Hockey National Championship, and will take on third-ranked Bowdoin College, who beat second-ranked Ursinus by a 3-2 score in Saturday's other semi-final.
“Win or lose, we played this game as a team,” Trapp said. “There was no finger pointing today, no yelling on the field, no blame game. Nothing, including a loss, is going to tear this team apart. They are a great group of kids, and we love them.”
With the loss, Trapp will have to say goodbye to seniors Bailey, Beth Sandowich and Renee Herbster — a trio that Trapp said will leave a lasting impression on the program.
“They have been just awesome leaders,” Trapp said. “They set the tone for the whole year. They've been role models for the rest of the team, and I can't say enough about them. If you expect good things out of the kids, you'll get them, and these seniors have certainly given us great things.
“It's funny, but it takes you awhile to realize that we don't go out to practice anymore,” she continued. “I will really miss that. Sure, I will see the girls in the office, but I'm going to really miss seeing them every day as a collective group. That's the toughest part about it.”
Check back to this website for the latest in off-season news and information, including post-season honors to be announced in the coming days and weeks.
