Box Score
Grantham, PA – The Messiah College Falcons scored 11 straight goals to start their game with Lycoming College on Wednesday, eventually earning an 18-1 win on senior day on Anderson Field. Messiah was already ahead 4-0 just 3:12 into the game.
Junior
Kiersten McGreer opened the scoring for the Falcons with a goal just 13 seconds after the initial draw control. Senior Jamie Gerhart followed with Messiah's second goal just 39 seconds later. The team's quick start was indicative of a dominant offensive and defensive performance for the Falcons, as seven different players would collect at least one goal.
The Falcons entered the game ranked #8 in the most recent IWLCA Top 20 poll, the highest ranking in program history.
“Our challenge to ourselves is to play to the same standard each game, regardless of our opponent,” Messiah head coach
Heather Greer said. “We want to play 'our game' each time out, and not have anything distract us from doing that.”
The Falcons were led in scoring by sophomore
Lizzy Keeney's five goals. Keeney also collected two assists. McGreer scored four goals and added an assist of her own, with senior
Rachel Dirksen tallying three apiece of goals and assists.
On the defensive end, Messiah's performance was best measured by their causing of 16 turnovers—compared to only four caused turnovers by the visitors. Senior
Rachel Coyle caused a team-high five turnovers.
“We had goals for our performance, especially in the second half,” Greer said, speaking respectfully of Lycoming's effort on the field. “In a game with so much separation on the scoreboard, it's important for each team to recognize the value of playing well and setting goals for performance. For ourselves, we wanted to control the possession and keep them from scoring in the second half.”
The Falcons should receive passing grades on both those measures, as they went 7-0 in second half draw controls while holding the Warriors (4-10, 1-3) to 0-2 shooting in the final 30:00. In total, Messiah also collected 25 groundballs to the Warriors' 12.
“Our communication on the field is always important to us, as is taking the right amount of time to execute good, clean checks,” Greer continued. “We executed well today, and it was an appropriate way to celebrate our seniors—with a team victory.”
Indeed, the Falcons' program has risen to new levels over the careers of their five seniors. Greer recognized that the program's current-day standard is, in large part, a product of the years of work by former players and the 2012 class.
The 2012 class includes Gerhart,
Jess Stevens,
Meghan Doolittle, Coyle, and Dirksen.
“Everything we do is about our team,” Greer said. “Our program wouldn't be the same without any of our players, especially our seniors.”
“But we also don't think of our season end soon” Greer added. “We want to play to the last possible game.”
The Falcons (13-2, 5-0) will continue their season on Saturday, April 28, when they host Albright College at 1:00 p.m. in their final regular season game. The team will begin the Commonwealth Championships with the semifinal game on Wednesday, May 2.
