Box Score
By Matt McDermott, GoMessiah.com student manager
Grantham, PA — The target is always on Messiah's back.
With a week off to prepare — and Homecoming weekend serving as the backdrop — Arcadia University became a tough adversary for the Falcons Saturday afternoon at the Knights' New Field. But a strategic game plan couldn't stop the offensive power of the Falcons, as Messiah scored three goals in the second half to thwart the Knights' efforts, winning the visitors' Commonwealth Conference Opener 3-1.
“The game was what we expected it to be,” Messiah head coach
Scott Frey said. “They were well prepared. They made it difficult for us to play in the middle in the first half and they pressured us well. If we made a bad touch, they were on it.”
The first half for the Messiah (10-0, 1-0) was a rather slow one. Without the ability to create a steady pace on offense, the Falcons were shut down in the first half, generating only four total shots, two of them on goal, where Arcadia sophomore keeper Jackie Law made the saves.
“It was tough for us to get in rhythm,” Frey said. “(Acradia) made if very difficult for us to pass in the midfield. They had a plan, a week to practice it, and they executed well.”
Despite failing to attempt a single corner and an absence of quality offensive sets, the first half was beneficial in one way toward the Falcons.
“I thought the first half, they came out with a lot of energy and in the second half things changed a little bit,” Frey said. “We didn't change that much at halftime. I told the girls to get a little wider, but besides that, we did little different in the second half than the first. I think we just wore them down little by little.”
The evidence of the gradual wear and tear came from the Falcon' first goal from the foot of senior
Amanda Naeher.
Messiah used a free kick from senior
Molly Bletz to its advantage in the game's 51st minute, as her serve into the box was headed up and played back to Naeher. Collecting the ball on the right side about 10 yards from goal and defenders breaking towards her, Naeher hit a strong ball though the cluttering mass in front of the goal for the Falcons' first score of the game at the 50:54 mark.
But it would not be a long-standing deficit for Arcadia (9-3-1, 1-1), as the Knights' Rachel Dolly made the most of the hosts' own free kick under two minutes later.
Dolly was 45 yards out on the right side of the field and launched a sailing ball that made its way towards the goal. Junior
Autumn Reilly was caught in limbo, as her three steps off line proved to be too much. The ball sailed just in under the cross bar at the 52:22 mark — only Messiah's second goal allowed all year.
The Falcons, however, would not be shaken.
“The second half things opened up for us,” Frey said. “A lot more passing plays were created and we started to see more open runs.”
True words said by Frey, as Messiah's game winning goal embodied by such an occurrence.
With just over 22:30 to play, senior
Katie Hoffsmith had possession on the right side of the field, pushing up from her normal defensive role, and played a perfect backside ball to Naeher, who was making a diagonal run into the middle of the Knights' defense.
“That play was great overall,” Frey said. “Katie had great vision, seeing the run. She made a great pass to Amanda's feet, Amanda made a great first touch after she got it, and she beat the keeper low with a hard shot.”
But one goal was not enough, as sophomore
Alex Brandt's quick feet and ball skills generated Messiah's third goal of the contest. Brandt dribbled in the midfield and easily beat two defenders, creating space on the right side of the 18-yard box. Her ensuing shot was a rip, roofing to the upper 90 of the far left post for her third goal of the year.
“I thought we were more patient in the second half,” Frey said. “Our chances were much better in the second than the first but overall it was a good win.”
With the win, Messiah should hold on to its current number one ranking next week's NSCAA/Adidas and
D3Soccer.com Top 25 polls. But Frey says he wasn't disappointed about the competitiveness of the game — the Falcons' closest win in the team's last eight games.
“Everybody assumes it is easy for us.” Frey said. “(Arcadia) is one of the top teams in the conference. This was a huge game and they came in well prepared for us. They were very tenacious. They played hard. If they win this game, the playoffs are very different. I thought we responded well, we fought hard and it was a good win.”
The Falcons will have to shake off one of their worst offensive performance this season, as Messiah just produced 11 shots and only one corner — both single-game season lows.
Messiah will return to Shoemaker Field Wednesday in hosting league foe Lycoming College. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
