Box Score
By Cody Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
Reading, PA — Messiah's Major League Baseball-like schedule is over.
Judging by the results, the Falcons didn't even seem to mind.
Playing its third game in five days, Messiah rattled off its fifth consecutive win Saturday morning at Commonwealth Conference foe Alvernia University, taking a 3-0 decision in capping the team's busiest week of the season.
Saturday's victory was the third shut out win in league play for the Falcons, while Messiah outscored opponents by an 11-2 score over the past week.
“Playing three games in a week takes its toll,” said Jan Trapp, Messiah head coach. “I could tell the girls were tired today, but they still played hard.”
Messiah (9-2, 3-0) got on the board well before fatigue could become a factor, as senior Kourtney Ehly ripped a goal just 2:27 into play. Ehly, who was on the receiving end of a penalty corner, took a pass at the top of the circle, and drilled a shot into the left side of the cage. It was Ehly's sixth goal of the season, tying her for the team lead.
Following Ehly's goal, 55 minutes of scoreless action ensued, with each defense playing strong.
“We were on a new field today with a challenging surface, and passing was difficult at times,” Trapp said, “but the defense really played well. Everyone stepped it up and we had enough to win.”
The Falcons limited Alvernia (6-6, 1-2) to just a single shot and penalty corner in the first half. Trapp's bunch was even better in the second period, holding the Crusaders without so much as a shot or a penalty corner in the last 35 minutes of action.
Junior Kilee Rosenberry broke the scoring drought at the 57:38 mark, scoring unassisted for her fifth tally of the season. Rosenberry recovered a rebound off a shot by senior Julie Barton and redirected the ball into the lower left side of the cage.
With just over five minutes to play, freshman Brooke Sands tacked on an insurance goal, giving the Falcons their final, 3-0 lead. Like Rosenberry, Sands took possession of the ball after a rebound and shot it into the cage, securing the Falcons' ninth win of the season.
“Given what our week was like, we persevered and I was proud of the way they played,” Trapp said.
For the day, the Falcons finished with a sizable 22-1 advantage in shots and 15-1 lead in penalty corners. Freshman Kayleigh Stewart started and played the whole game in goal, registering one save, while recording her fourth collegiate shut out.
Messiah will take a much-needed rest, but it won't be lengthy: The team will resume play with a home contest on Tuesday night against Gettysburg College. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. at Anderson Field.
