XML Box Score Grantham, PA – Messiah College scored three goals in the first 10:18 of the second-half to earn a 4-1 win over Lasell College in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.
Nikki Elsaesser finished with two scores for the Falcons who advance to the Second Round to face the winner of Amherst and Springfield.
Elsaesser put the Falcons on top 1-0 in the 15th minute, but it was the Lasers who were first poised to take an early lead. In the seventh minute Lasell played long over the Falcons defense and found Bridget Lynch on a run to the goal. Lynch took one touch and, with
Hannah Weyland bearing down from behind, put a shot to the right side of the goal.
Audra Larson made a tremendous save on the dive, tipping the ball wide of the post to thwart Lynch's attempt.
Less than eight minutes later Elsaesser finally made good on one of the Falcons' early chances.
Holly Burgard attacked middle before playing through to Elsaesser on the right side. Elsaesser turned over the ball near the end line for a chip off the fingers of Leah Pappalardo and off the far post for the score.
Despite the deficit, Lasell continued to play with pressure forward. Their aggressiveness paid off in the 28th minute when they earned one of their five first-half corners. After the ball was played away from the goal Sarah Jones served back to the six-yard line where Arianna DiOrio flicked the ball beyond the reach of Larson and inside the right post.
The goal was the first allowed by Messiah in almost a month and seemed to feed the energy of the Lasers. They entered the half with a 5-0 lead in corners and all three of their shots on frame.
Unsatisfied with their own play in the first-half, Messiah came out of the break with high energy and quickly broke the game open. In the 47th minute Elsaesser was played into the top of the box and turned to split two defenders and approach the goal. Her shot was saved by Pappalardo but became loose on the left side where
Corinne Wulf put it into the net.
Just over five minutes later Elsaesser was again played into the box, this time on the right side, She turned for a quick shot that was again saved by Pappalardo but fell at Elsaesser's feet for a lofted shot over the keeper and a 3-1 lead.
Seemingly in full control at this point, Messiah added yet another goal minutes later off a corner.
Kayla Deckert put a long serve to the far post where Elsaesser placed a header to the middle for lunging strike from
Hannah Weyland into the goal.
Seemingly deflated, Lasell appeared to tire as the game wore on. Messiah controlled territory for the remainder of the game and moved to the NCAA Second Round for the 13th-straight season.
Pappalardo finished with 10 saves on 18 shots for the Falcons, while Larson grabbed three saves of her own. After allowing five corners to the Lasers in the first-half, Messiah attempted the only two corners of the final 45 minutes.
Lasell finishes their season at 17-4-1 after qualifying for their fourth-straight NCAA Championships Tournament. Messiah moves to 19-2-1 and will play at 1:30 on Sunday against either Amherst and Springfield.
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