Box Score
By Matt McDermott, GoMessiah.com student manager
Reading, PA — There is more to the Messiah women's soccer team than just the so-called headliners.
Alvernia University learned that lesson first-hand Tuesday night.
Junior Leah Sipe tallied her second career game-winning goal in the eighth minute and sophomore Corinne Wulf tacked another just three minutes later, helping the top-ranked Falcons to an eventual 3-0 win over the Crusaders at Schlager Memorial Field.
It was Messiah's efficiency on this night that proved to be the difference maker, as Falcons head coach Scott Frey said he liked the way his team played throughout.
“This was a hard-fought win for us,” Frey said. “(Alvernia) came out and pressured us but we were efficient in our possession, maintaining the ball and passing out of pressure at the right times. Our decision making was great. And getting two early goals helped.”
The first of those two came from Sipe from just outside the 18-yard box. Senior Amanda Naeher dribbled to the endline on the left side, past the Crusaders' back line. Her cross got deflected by a defender right to the feet of Sipe, who one timed a hard and low shot to the left corner, scoring her third goal of the year at the 7:02 mark.
But the crushing blow came from Wulf just over three minutes later. Senior Joanna Haqq beat the Crusaders' back line down the left side and got to the end line, looking for a seam to play the ball into. Wulf made a run to the back post and Haqq lofted a ball to her, beating a defender in the air for the Columbus, Ohio native's 10th goal of the year.
Wulf becomes the fourth player on this Falcon squad to have scored 10 goals in her first two seasons, the other three being Haqq, Naeher, and senior Erin Hench.
Messiah (14-0, 4-0) maintained the 2-0 lead through halftime, outshooting Alvernia (11-3-3, 2-1-2) by a 6-0 count. Despite not gaining any corners, all of the Falcons' shots were on goal.
“We had a tough time beating their wings, but when we did, we created chances,” Frey said. “(Alvernia) is a good team, and they pressured us well. They made it hard for us at times to play, but I thought our girls were well-disciplined. We put the ball on frame and connected on our chances.”
The second half was similarly efficient for the Falcons, as three corners helped produce eight shots with four being on goal. One of those on goal was a goal by junior Olivia Scott.
In the 76th minute, freshman Alicia Frey made a turn from the right side of the field and into the middle of the pitch, finding Scott in rhythm. Scott beat a defender and with her left foot, hit the ball from just outside the 18-yard box to the far post for her second goal of the year.
Then late in the game, a chance for the Crusaders showed junior goalkeeper Autumn Reilly's ability in goal.
Alvernia drew a penalty kick via a Messiah foul just on the inside edge of the 18-yard box, and when all was said and done, Reilly made a huge save, diving to her left and stopping what could have been Messiah's third goal allowed all year. But Reilly's second save of the day was even better, as the saved penalty kick was deflected to another Alvernia player who tried to sneak a quick shot past the post.
“Autumn made two great saves, the second was even better than the first,” Frey said. “She got up right away and made a great play. She is great for us in goal and this just shows that.”
Alvernia tried hard, especially in attempting to shut down Naeher, who in Messiah's previous game scored her 100th career goal. But Frey said that it is hard to shut down this team as a whole, with so many good players from front to back.
“We have some great players on this team,” Frey said. “They tried to shut down Amanda and that just gives chances for other people to step up. Leah and Oliva showed that today. They are solid for us every game. They set the tempo for us in the midfield. They switch the field so well. They set people up well. They do the little things that get overlooked, but they do it so well and it affects everyone else.”
The Messiah defense also tallied their 12th shutout of the year, a credit the Frey gives to junior Kelsey Gorman and company.
“Kelsey always gets overlooked,” Frey said. “But she does everything right for us. She stopped any chance for them tonight and is a great defender.”
Messiah looks to continue their great play on Shoemaker Field against Albright College Saturday. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
