Box Score
By Matt McDermott, GoMessiah.com student manager
Newport News, VA — With extreme emotions and implications running rampant through Saturday's NCAA Division III National Semi-Final at Christopher Newport University, the eventual winner would need to prove discipline, patience and leadership to earn its right to play in Sunday's national championship contest.
For the 14th time in the history of the Messiah field hockey program, the Falcons did just that.
In one of the toughest matches of the season, Messiah shook off a saved penalty stroke, stopped one of its own and used four second-half goals to push the Bears of Ursinus College into early hibernation, moving on to the program's eighth national championship game appearance by virtue of a 4-0 win.
Competing in the 'Final Four' for the 14th time in school history, the Falcons improved its record in national semi-finals to 8-6 overall.
“We're excited about the opportunity, and we're really excited with the team we have and how we're playing,” said 38th-year Messiah head coach Jan Trapp. “It's a blessing just to be here.”
The first half of Saturday's contest showed the early magnitude of the game — and foreshadowed the end result.
Messiah (19-2) displayed great poise in the midfield and defensive third early, with sophomore Leann Carroll making the first of many highlights on the day. Ursinus junior Alyssa Thren single-handedly attacked Carroll one-on-one from the get go, displaying Ursinus' aggressive initial game plan.
But Carroll was Thren's kryptonite throughout the afternoon, as the sophomore made big-time stops early, creating a virtual security-blanket behind senior Julie Barton in the midfield — establishing a foundation seen for the entirety of the game.
With the defense and midfield demonstrating their ability early, it was the offense's time to shine.
At the 29:30 mark, freshman Brooke Sands carried the ball down the right side of the field and darted to the end line, seeking an opportunity to cross. When she did, she found sophomore Juliana Hershey in the middle of the circle, but her ensuing shot was saved by Ursinus keeper LauraLee Lightwood-Mater — the first time of many that Lightwood-Mater would make a crucial save.
Her next stop had the potential to be a game-changer.
Just three minutes later, Messiah earned the first of six first-half penalty corners and was awarded a penalty stroke after a Bears' foul was called inside the circle.
Carroll stepped up for the stroke with confidence, but Lightwood-Mater dove and made a tremendous reaction save, keeping the game scoreless.
But Carroll never showed visible dejection, even after senior Koutney Ehly was given a yellow card after a hard foul. As Ursinus (20-2) began to push their offense into Carroll's defensive territory, it was the Falcons' defense that came up large.
At the 11:06 mark, the Bears earned their first penalty corner of the game and sent the ball to the top of the circle. With Carroll on the ball, Ursinus passed to the left side, and the ensuing shot was saved off the line by freshman Gina Kellett, keeping the designated visitors off the board in heart-stopping fashion.
The first half concluded in similar fashion to the manner it began, with Carroll making big stops to virtually shut down Ursinus' offense single-handedly. Despite the score being tied 0-0, Messiah dominated the play of the first half, outshooting the Bears 11-2 with penalty corners in favor of the Falcons six to two.
Trapp said that the first half was a time to control emotions, and that task was led by her defense.
“We played within ourselves and we played with a lot of passion,” Trapp said. “That helps even more on defense. When they were under pressure, they came up big.”
Barton agreed.
“Ursinus' defense is great,” the 2009 NCAA Division III National Player of the Year said. “They played us very well in the first half. We were having trouble finishing our opportunities.”
Less than three minutes into the second half, Barton personally assured Messiah's issues would end.
Following a defensive stop and clear to open the second period, the Falcons generated a penalty corner, allowing Barton to call her own number.
“At halftime, Julie said to me, 'The straight shot is open,'” Trapp said. “I said, 'Go for it,' and she did. (Barton) really thinks the game so well, so we respect and listen to her when she has ideas at halftime.”
Barton slammed in her 10th goal of the season from some 16 yards away at the 37:56 mark, her effort slicing through the scrambling Bears' defense.
“It allowed us to relax a little and play our game after the goal,” Barton said of her eventual game-winner. “They have the skill and capability to score. It was just great to get one up.”
As Barton predicted, Ursinus did not go away quietly. Immediately following her goal, the Bears generated a penalty corner, eventually being awarded a penalty stroke of their own just five and a half minutes into the period. Ursinus' Michelle Wimmer stepped up to to take the stroke, but the senior was denied by freshman goalkeeper Kayleigh Stewart.
“The beginning of the year, our goalies wouldn't have stopped that, either of them,” Trapp said of Stewart and fellow first-year classmate, Molly Gebroski. “Our goalkeeper coaches have done such a wonderful job with their extension, meeting the ball in front of them and all of the things that you teach a goalkeeper. (Stewart) is a freshman in the national semi-finals, and I thought she handled everything well.”
As the game went on, Messiah put its collective stamp on the game with sturdy defense and powerful offense.
In the 59th minute, Barton gained the pressure of four Bears and was able to see junior Kilee Rosenberry to her left. The Akron, Pa. native buried her ninth goal of the year off of Barton's dish, giving the Falcons a lift coming off the bench.
Less than three minutes later, Messiah was given another penalty stroke, and Trapp was confident on who would take it.
It had to be Carroll.
“I never had a second thought with that,” Trapp said. “You don't want to shatter her confidence because she is a great stroke taker.”
Carroll made certain that her second stroke of the night would count, lifting the ball past Lightwood-Mater for her third goal of the season — and first penalty stroke conversion.
As the game ticked away, Ehly iced things with 22 seconds left, firing a laser from the top of the circle into the lower left corner of the cage. Messiah concluded the game with a 24-8 advantage in total shots and a 13-7 disparity in penalty corners, handing Ursinus a national semi-final loss for the second straight year.
As Messiah enters the program's second straight national championship game and sixth in the last 10 years, Trapp said that there is something different about this team.
“This team has an attitude about them, but a good attitude,” she said. “It isn't cocky. They believe in themselves. We are starting three freshmen and nine of our starters did not start for us last year. Julie and Koutney are the only two starters from last year, so that takes us down to nine (returners) and the way they have come together is incredible. A good team is only as good as their senior leaders and these girls are the best.”
Trapp continued about her senior leaders.
“(The entire team) looks at the seniors and sees them hustling after every ball and they say, 'If they can do it, we can do it.' There are so many girls on this team that really think the game of hockey. That helps a lot.”
Following Saturday's win, Messiah advances to face Bowdoin College in Sunday's NCAA Division III National Championship, as the Polar Bears breezed past Skidmore College by a 5-0 score in Saturday's other semi-final. The Falcons and Bowdoin have met twice before, with Messiah taking one-goal wins in both the 2005 and 2006 national semi-finals.
As this year's team looks to be the first to bring a golden trophy back to Grantham, Trapp and Barton continued to speak about the qualities of this year's team that have allowed them to reach this point. When asked about the opportunity to win the program's first national championship during Saturday's post-game press conference, both were sentimental.
“For them,” Trapp said.
“For you,” Barton replied.
Sunday's national championship game starts at 1 p.m.
