Box Score
By Matt McDermott, GoMessiah.com student manager
Grantham, PA — Messiah head coach Scott Frey wouldn't say that Saturday's 4-0 win over 23rd-ranked Lynchburg College was extra special, but that sentiment may as well be deducted.
After suffering a 1-1, double-overtime tie at Lynchburg last season, Messiah effectively avenged its only non-win of the 2009 campaign Saturday at Shoemaker Field, utilizing a pair of second-half, two-goal microbursts en route to the team's fifth shut out win of the season.
“This was a great test for us at this point in the year,” Frey said afterward. “Lynchburg is a very good team. I thought this game had an NCAA (post-season) feel to it right from the start, and I think this experience is really going to help us as we continue to try and get better.”
From the start, both teams looked to apply pressure. Lynchburg (3-2) was the first to assert itself, taking the opening kick off and challenging the Falcons' back line. The Hornets created multiple scoring opportunities at the outset, outshooting the hosts over the game's first 20 minutes by a 4-0 tally. The most dangerous chance was nearly a goal, as Lynchburg midfielder Brittany Klippstein sailed a high shot that junior keeper Autumn Reilly punched out of the upper 90 to stop the Hornet attack.
“[Lynchburg] came out with strong pressure,” Frey said. “I had thought they would come out playing physical, but I was surprised that we didn't respond to it right away. (The pressure) made us not look as sharp. We couldn't string passes together as well as we normally do.”
A focal point for the pressure was Messiah's vaunted back line — a defense that had only given up one goal on the year thus far. Lynchburg's early possession helped the Hornets push on the Falcons' defenders, however, making life tough on Frey's group with long balls and quick, aggressive moves.
“Our backs had to scramble at times,” Frey said. “But sometimes, that is what you have to do against a good team. They sustained the pressure they had to. They did deal with the pressure well and that was solid for us in the first half.”
At half's end, the Hornets lead the Falcons in shots (6-5) and corners (3-0).
But the scoreboard was still clean.
“We switched some things up [at halftime],” Frey said. “We didn't necessarily respond the way we would like to in the first half. Our speed of play was down. We didn't connect passes. We didn't execute. But we switched things to help in those areas and I kept encouraging the girls.”
When the Falcons took the field following halftime, the 611 in attendance at Shoemaker didn't see a new team, per se, but saw a confident team. And that confidence was first seen throughout the entire Messiah offense.
Just six minutes in, the Falcons tallied the game's first marker. From the right side of the field, a ball was played in front of the Messiah bench and a cross was sent into the box from the wing. Senior Amanda Naeher collected the cross but was doubled by two Hornet defenders. Naeher, who saw sophomore Corinne Wulf open in front of goal, dished the ball to Wulf who finished low for her first goal of the season at the 51:46 mark.
Then, after a Hornets' turnover off the ensuing kick-off, sophomore Alex Brandt played a perfect ball to junior Jessica Shirk, who sped past two defenders who were previously on her hip. Shirk touched past diving Lynchburg keeper Jackie Bader and scored her first goal of the year, at the 52:43 mark.
“Scoring goals makes things better,” Frey said. “Scoring those two goals early in the second half helped all out girls.”
Proving its salt, Lynchburg (3-2) never went away.
From the right side of the field, Hornets' sophomore Jessica Gonzalez dribbled past Messiah's defense and served up a quality ball into the Messiah 18-yard box, over the heads of the Falcons' center backs.
Reilly came off her line and threw a diving punch to clear the ball out, but the ball landed near Klippstein.
Quickly, Reilly got back to her feet and cut off any angle to goal, thwarting another potentially dangerous scenario for the guests.
“I told Autumn this week in practice that even though she doesn't always find herself in the middle of action, she needs to stay focused,” Frey said. “That was a fantastic save. Who knows what could have happened if she doesn't come off her line and make that play. This game could have been a different game if it is 2-1 with the level of energy and attitude they kept playing at. I was very pleased with her effort today against such a good team.”
With 20 minutes to play, another pair of nearly instantaneous Messiah goals took away any possible doubt of the game's conclusion.
Both came off the foot of Naeher, as the 2008 NSCAA National Player of the Year scored her ninth and 10th goals of the season at the game's 70:02 and 71:12 marks, respectively.
Her initial goal was first played by senior Molly Bletz, who's pass set up the goal. Naeher trapped Bletz's service and arced a swift lob past Bader to the far post from the left corner of the 18-yard box. Her second was a well-struck, one-time volley off Wulf's cross on the right side.
Even after Naeher's tallies, Lynchburg refused to settle, pressing Frey's group until the final horn.
“The entire game felt like it was 1-0,” Frey said. “Even after the goals, [Lynchburg] never game up, never gave in. That is the sign of a good team. They will make a splash somehow by the end of the year. They will be fighting the entire season.”
Frey said that he loved the entire team's effort against a quality opponent.
“Amanda showed the type of player she is,” Frey started. “(Senior) Joey (Joanna Haqq) and Jess were both efficient and fun to watch. (Freshman) Ali Rogers got better as the game went on. 'Rinn (Wulf) was dynamic up top. (Sophomore) Tannia (Nieto), who hasn't been playing all that much because of injury, played 75 minutes in the back for us and played great. This team has great players that can step up to the chances in front of them. It is a quality about this team that is unlike any other. Every girl on this team can do it at any time.”
“Like I've said before, we have to get better every time we play,” Frey continued. “We'll take this win and now our focus is on Dickinson.”
The Falcons will next travel to Dickinson College Wednesday, starting a four-game road stretch. Game time is set for 5 p.m.
