Box Score
Elizabethtown, PA — Messiah head coach Heather Greer had been drenched by her players.
She believed most of it was water, but some Gatorade may have been mixed in.
What better way to celebrate a conference championship than with a ceremonial dousing?
Messiah captured its second MAC Championship in the 13-year history of the women's lacrosse program Saturday, handing host Elizabethtown College a 6-5 defeat — a game that was not decided until just 37 seconds remained on the clock. Freshman Meghan Doolittle scored her second goal of the afternoon off an assist from sophomore Megan Bovenzi to break a 5-5 tie, and the Falcons withstood two Blue Jay shots over the game's final 26 seconds to capture the most incredible of wins.
With the league title, Messiah (14-4) will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second time ever. Elizabethtown — ranked 16th in the latest IWLCA Top 20 National Poll — will wait to see if it receives an at-large berth.
“Wow,” a soaked Greer said afterward. “What a game. We knew going in that we needed 100 percent from all of our players, for the entire 60 minutes. We knew that we couldn't have any moments of let down because of who E'Town is as a team. We fought extremely hard and were able to come up with some big plays late.”
Elizabethtown (16-3) got on the board first, going up by a 2-0 score following goals at the 27:38 and 19:23 marks of the first half. Senior Jackie Dando then ripped an unassisted score to pull Messiah within one at the 12:45 marker, but E'Town again pulled ahead by two thanks to a score just 21 seconds later.
Perhaps Messiah's most important push of the day came in the final seven minutes of the first half, as Doolittle finished a feed from freshman Rachel Dirksen at the 6:50 mark before Dirksen scored her only goal of the day just 39 seconds later, knotting the score 3-3 at the break.
It would set up a second half full of back and forth lacrosse — if not high-scoring lacrosse.
“The phrase 'offense wins games but defense wins championships' was very true for us today,” Greer said. “E'Town has shooters and strong finishers so we knew our defense was going to be the key in winning. (Seniors) Bri (Brennan) and Betsy (Tyson) led our defense out there today and really worked as one cohesive unit, really anticipating E'Town's attack instead of reacting to it like we did last time we played them.”
Looking to avenge a 13-8 loss back on Apr. 22 — Messiah's only conference loss of the year — Greer's squad turned to its back line. Senior goalie Jen Venter finished with 14 saves after recording a season-high 15 stops in the Falcons' MAC Semi-Final win over FDU-Florham Thursday afternoon, while Tyson and Bovenzi each picked up three ground balls.
Elizabethtown was able to pull ahead by a 4-3 score after a second-half opening goal at the period's 24:54 mark, but it would be the Blue Jays' final lead of the day. Bovenzi notched markers at the 15:10 and 3:21 marks to pull Messiah ahead by a 5-4 count, and the tension mounted.
A goal from Elizabethtown's Katie Foley with 46 seconds to play didn't help matters.
Foley's score ignited the home crowd and made overtime appear a distinct possibility, had it not been for a crucial ensuing draw control captured by Brennan.
Messiah used that possession to march downfield and score the game-winner as — after an E'Town foul — Doolittle broke free to finish off a gorgeous pass from Bovenzi.
The Blue Jays collected the game's final draw and fired two shots over the last 26 seconds, but Venter saved the first. A Messiah foul gave the ball back to E'Town with 13 seconds left, but a last-ditch effort from Foley sailed wide with just under five seconds to play.
Messiah had done it.
“It really was an amazing game,” Greer said. “Doolittle obviously had a huge goal, and we were able to pull it out. Jen was again just ridiculous in goal. She's been that way all year.”
Venter earned tournament most valuable player honors as a result of her work in the cage, finishing with a total 29 saves in two games, allowing just nine scores.
Messiah took just 19 shots to E'Town's 26 and collected just nine ground balls to the Blue Jays' 16, but stayed close thanks to controlling six of 13 draw controls and showing more discipline than the hosts: Elizabethtown was whistled for 38 fouls. Messiah was called for just 17.
“We struggled in our transition today,” Greer said. “E'Town applies great pressure in the midfield and we just weren't moving our feet very well or getting open for each other. But once we finally got the ball on attack, our offense did a great job of possessing the ball and waiting for the great opportunities to shoot.”
Messiah will learn its NCAA opponent and destination when the brackets are released Sunday night. Check the team's schedule page for updated information.
The Falcons return to NCAA post-season play for the first time since the 2006 club qualifed via a conference championship. That squad defeated the University of Mary Washington by a 10-8 score in the first round before falling to then top-ranked Gettysburg College by a 6-15 score in second-round play.
Following Saturday's big win, however, Greer wasn't thinking about program records, but rather the people in uniform that had just drenched her.
“This team has heart,” Greer said. “They have a heart to work hard for one another and it is such a gift to coach a team that wants it for all the right reasons.”
