Grantham, PA — Perhaps the most fitting tribute to Messiah's five seniors came moments before kickoff of Saturday's Commonwealth Conference match-up against Alvernia University.
As Emily Cope, Carey Cortese, Amy Horst, Katlyn Musser and Amanda Naeher were all honored with flowers and a brief ceremony highlighting their accomplishments, a steady rain subsided and the sun began to shine.
Not a bad coincidence for a group that has helped the program to an 80-4-4 record during the last four seasons.
Messiah's dominance continued once the game started, as the Falcons slushed past the visiting Crusaders by a 9-0 score on a warm and damp afternoon. While the rain held off for the seniors' introductions, it would begin falling almost immediately following the opening touch, turning the game into a soppy shutout — Messiah's 11th blanking of the year.
“The field held up pretty well for us,” said Scott Frey, Messiah head coach. “The rain never really came down to the point where the field was unplayable. Now the guys' game, that was a different story.”
As the rains intensified following the women's victory, Messiah's men's team hosted Alvernia in a virtual quagmire, somehow scoring a season-high eight goals in an 8-0 win of their own.
By that time, however, the Falcons' women's team was in the dry confines of Hitchcock Arena, enjoying a pig roast with family and friends of the program.
“It's an important day for us,” Frey said of the scheduled final home game of the season. “We always want to take the time to honor our seniors for what they've meant to the program. These five seniors … they've been incredible.”
While Messiah's Centennial Homecoming contest against Arcadia University was rescheduled to Tuesday night following unplayable field conditions on Oct. 17, Frey said that 'senior day' was kept on Saturday to ensure that all parents and families of the players could attend.
And — in a game highlighted by the first career goal from Cortese — it was clear that the afternoon belonged to the Falcons' five elder statesmen.
“I shared a quote with (the seniors) before the game,” Frey said. “'A life isn't significant except for its impact on other lives.' For them, as a group and as individuals, I think that's what they've done such a good job of — uniquely impacting other people in our program.”
An emotional pre-game talk translated into Messiah's most domineering win of the season, as the Falcons tallied a season-high nine goals off of 32 shots while equaling a season-high in assists with seven.
The carnage started just over five minutes in for Messiah (15-0-1, 5-0), as junior Erin Hench scooped up a loose ball following corner kick and centered it to Naeher, who blasted a rocket from eight yards out for a 1-0 lead at the 5:10 mark. Hench then followed with a breakaway goal at the 12:34 clip, taking a nice feed from classmate Molly Bletz for her 11th goal of the year.
It was just 10 minutes later that Frey's club started really pouring it on, scoring goals at the 21:52, 30:28, 31:22 and 31:53 marks, finalizing its first half scoring with another tally at the 42:30 mark.
Freshmen Corrine Wulf and Tannia Nieto each scored twice during that span, while sophomore Leah Sipe tallied her fourth goal of the year off an assist from classmate Lisa Wingard.
“It's not as easy as people think,” Frey said. “Yeah, we're dangerous, yeah, we have people who can score, but getting early goals is just huge. If you get that first one, you can really change the way the game is played. We've done a good job of getting those (early goals) lately.”
With a season's best 7-0 advantage at halftime, Frey made several lineup changes, most noticeably placing Cortese — a four-year starter at center back — up front.
Without a collegiate goal heading into the day, Cortese changed all of that in the game's 63rd minute, taking a feed from junior Joanna Haqq on the right side and making a move around a Crusaders' defender near the center of the penalty box.
The Lancaster, Pa. native then ripped a blast into the meat of the frame, beating Alvernia junior keeper Kirsten Kellley with — dare it be written — pure force.
A mad celebration ensued, led by the Falcons' other four senior members, obviously delighted for Cortese's newfound statistic.
Not that the goal meant much in the grand scheme of things. Sophomore Jessica Shirk finalized the 9-0 win with her third goal of the season at the 80:39 mark, finishing a cross from junior Meagan Wademan — Wademan's first career assist.
The Falcons finished with a 32-1 advantage in total shots and a 10-0 difference in corner kicks over Alvernia (3-15, 0-5), completing their fifth shutout in the last six games.
A tougher test awaits the team next, as homecoming's rescheduled game against Arcadia is slated for Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. The Knights enter that game with an overall record of 13-0-3 and a Commonwealth Conference mark of 5-0.
“It's a big, big week for us coming up,” Frey said. “Arcadia is playing for home field (advantage in the conference playoffs). We've got to come out ready to go. It will be a good test for us.”
