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By Matt McDermott, GoMessiah.com student manager
Grantham, PA — It didn't seem to matter who got off the visiting bus Wednesday night at the Starry Athletic Complex, as Messiah did what it always does in the Commonwealth Conference Semi-Finals.
Win.
Five strong, second-half goals polished off an organized Alvernia University squad at Shoemaker Field Wednesday, as the Falcons tallied their second complete statistical shutout of the season, winning by a 6-0 score.
It was truly a tale of two halves for the Falcons, as Messiah (18-0) only put 12.5 percent of their total first-half shots (two of 16) on goal, the lowest percent of the season for the number one ranked team in the latest NSCAA/Hendricksars.com and D3Soccer.com Top 25 polls.
It wasn't the lack of production that head coach Scott Frey said baffled him, but it was the lack of energy that came from his squad in the first half.
“We didn't compete,” Frey said. “We didn't have an edge. We did the right things but we were almost going through the motions. At this point in the year, especially in playoffs, you got to earn it. We didn't earn it in the first half.”
They may not have earned it in the first half, but that would not stop the offensive production entirely.
Just before the 12-minute mark, senior Amanda Naeher trapped a short goal kick taken from Alvernia keeper Kirsten Kelley. Naeher, who has a silent instinct for scoring goals, squared to the goal mouth and sent flying a high, arching ball from 38 yards out, just finding the lone space between Kelley's outstretched hands and the cross bar for her 29th goal of the year.
But at half, Frey said he was not overly concerned with his team's lack of energy.
“We made some adjustments at half, but I wasn't panicked,” Frey said. “I told the girls that we had to be ready. We had to fight for this win, not just expect to win.”
As has grown to become expected after an inspiring Frey halftime speech, the second began with the proverbial knockout blow, literally a one-two blow in every sense of the phrase.
In the 49th minute, Naeher crashed the middle with possession and passed to sophomore Corinne Wulf, who was posting up on an Alvernia defender. Wulf gained composure and turned with Naeher, perfectly finding the newly-honored 2010 Commonwealth Player of the Year with the ball in the 18-yard box, scoring her nation-leading 30th goal of the season as a result.
The one-two, give-and-go interplay was described as “beautiful” in Frey's words.
Exactly two minutes later, at the 50:44 mark, the second blow was dealt to the Crusaders. At the center of the 18-yard box, Naeher slotted a ball to the left side, finding classmate Joanna Haqq, who finished from six yards out.
“We started fighting,” Frey said. “Amanda and 'Rin won the individual battles and the rest of the them did the same. Those two have great energy and they picked up their play, allowing us to play.”
With a three goal lead, the Falcons finished the fight with three goals in six minutes from three different players — soccer's version of the TKO.
Wulf added her 14th goal of the season off a long through ball in the air, sent by Freshman Alicia Frey who dropped back into the midfield to win possession. The long ball was sent over the top, allowing Wulf to use her speed to beat everyone at the 57:30 mark.
The tag-team would meet again a little less than four minutes later, as a cross was trapped by Wulf. Unable to generate a shot with defensive pressure on her left hip, Wulf poked a pass to Frey, who was four yards out. Frey ssubsequently hammered home her 11th goal of the year.
The final punch for the Falcons was two minutes later. Just off her first career hat trick, speedy junior Lisa Wingard received a pass from Haqq near the left post, turned, and hit hard her sixth goal of the year.
Messiah pulled away in achieving its second complete statistical shutout — conceding zero goals, corners, or shots — resulting in the team's 16th shutout of the season.
Under Frey's reign, Messiah has never lost a Commonwealth Semi-Finals contest, and they are an astounding 9-1 in league championship matches, dropping only a 0-1 loss to Elizabethtown College back in 2006.
The Falcons will next face off against Arcadia University Saturday on Shoemaker Field. The two teams met earlier this season Oct. 9th, a game in which Messiah won by a 3-1 score. In that game, Naeher scored the game-winning goal in the 69th minute after Arcadia tied the game at 1-1 off a Rachel Dolly free kick. Sophomore Alex Brandt sealed the deal in the 77th minute.
Frey said he suspects another grudge match Saturday.
“Arcadia is a good team,” he added. “For us, it is a mentality thing. We know how to play. We just have to come mentally to win this game. [Arcadia] is going to compete with energy and are going to be very physical, so we have to come prepared.”
Saturday's Commonwealth Championship is set for 5 p.m. on Shoemaker Field.
