Grantham, PA — Just one minute and 17 seconds into Tuesday night's Commonwealth Conference Semi-Final match against Albright College, the visiting Lions had a pretty good idea of how things were going to go.
Messiah had just taken its second corner kick of the night and put its first score on the board, all before most spectators had warmed up their seats in the Shoemaker Field grandstands.
It would only get worse from there.
The Falcons went on to post 38 total shots on the Albright back line en route to an 8-0 win, pushing Messiah into Saturday's conference championship game with little resistance — or drama.
Messiah — ranked atop both the NSCAA/Adidas Top 25 and D3soccer.com Top 25 Polls — will face Arcadia University in the league title tilt, as the Knights defeated Elizabethtown College by a 3-0 score in the day's other semi-final.
“I'm pleased with how we came out and played, and with our approach to the game,” said Scott Frey, Messiah head coach. “Again, I thought we did a good job of creating chances. I thought our play on the wings was very good, our backs continue to keep it pretty tight and our play in the midfield was good. All in all, it was a good win for us to start the tournament.”
Frey's club entered the night pursuing its third straight Commonwealth Championship, and the drive was evident from the opening tap: Sophomore Leah Sipe made the most of Messiah's second corner kick at the 1:17 mark, rifling in a 16-yard blast from right center after Albright (8-9-3) failed to clear the initial serve.
Messiah's pressure never ceased, forcing Lions' sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Giuliano to make several impressive saves early. The reigning Commonwealth Conference Goalkeeper of the Week finished with seven saves in just over 65 minutes of action, but it would simply not be enough.
The Falcons added to their lead at the 10-minute marker, as senior Amanda Naeher took a nice feed from junior Erin Hench before taking one touch and firing a shot to the far post, making it a 2-0 Messiah lead. Naeher was then taken down inside the Lions' penalty box in the 20th minute, calmly making her first penalty kick of the season with just 19:24 elapsed.
Sophomore Olivia Scott then gave the hosts a 4-0 lead off a gorgeous header at the 25:43 point, redirecting a serve off the left side from junior Molly Bletz. After junior Marla Sensi was fouled from behind, Bletz took the free kick and sent a curling ball into the box, sailing just over the heads of several Albright defenders before making firm contact with Scott's noggin.
Scott sent an equally gorgeous curving ball just out of Giuliano's reach, giving the Falcons a 4-0 lead that would stand through the intermission.
“(Junior) Jo(anna Haqq) and our wings are really starting to play well, and that gives chances,” Frey said. “The advantage of being at home (on grass) is that it allows us to take advantage of our speed on the flank. Our wingers are able to get in a little easier, which gives us some one on one opportunities.”
Messiah (18-0-1) didn't seem to have much trouble on turf against Albright — the Falcons claimed a 5-0 win on Oct. 3 in Reading, Pa. — but Tuesday night's contest was even more one-sided: Messiah spread its lead to 6-0 in a span of just 1:09 early in the second half, as freshman Corinne Wulf scored following a scrum in front of the Albright frame at 59:09 and Hench rifled in a 22-yard blast with 60:18 elapsed.
When senior Emily Cope knocked in a deflected shot from Haqq at the 69:02 point, the Falcons had a 7-0 lead and were looking toward Saturday.
Junior Marla Sensi finalized things at the 82:59 mark, scoring her first goal of the season off a give-go with sophomore Lisa Wingard.
In the end, Messiah held a 38-1 difference in total shots, putting 19 of those attempts on the Lions' goal.
Giuliano gave up six goals, while Albright sophomore backup keeper Keeley Peltz surrendered two in just under 25 minutes of action. She finished with four saves.
Albright concludes its season with the loss, while top-seeded Messiah will now take on second-seeed Arcadia (15-1-3) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon. While Messiah handled the Knights by a 4-0 score Oct. 27 at Shoemaker Field, Frey said his team is aware of what Arcadia is capable of.
“We're going to have to compete as well or better (than we did tonight),” Frey said, speaking of Saturday's title tilt. “Arcadia is a very good team with young talent. We will need a good effort.”
Admission for all Commonwealth Conference post-season games is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. Children under the age of six are admitted free of charge.
