Box Score
Grantham, PA – Rivals Messiah and Elizabethtown have played two games this season, both of which went to overtime, with each team winning on the other's home field. When you put it that way, it seems pretty even; however, for Messiah, their loss certainly carries a greater sting.
Etown's Leigh Flounlacker scored a sudden equalizer with just 17 seconds in regulation to force overtime on Thursday, with the Blue Jays coming away with a 17-15 victory in the Commonwealth Semifinals. Flounlacker's score came moments after the Falcons turned the ball over in the midfield while trying to run out the clock.
The extra-extra time thriller was the second in as many match-ups between Messiah and Etown this year, and followed an eerily similar path to the Falcons' 9-8 win in early April. In that game, Becky Porter notched the game-tying goal for Etown with 24 seconds remaining in regulation. But unlike that win three weeks ago, Messiah was not able to regain momentum in the overtime period as Porter and Gabby Genuario (2) combined for three goals in the extra time to send the visitors to a 17-15 win.
The decision eliminated the Falcons from the Commonwealth Championships Tournament at the hands of the Blue Jays for the second-straight season.
Etown's tying goal at the end of regulation came after Messiah scored three-straight times to come from down 13-11 to take a 14-13 lead.
Cecilia Kjellman provided the go-ahead score with 2:46 left in the game as she curled around from the back of the cage to score top-shelf against Rachael Waldman.
Lizzy Keeney scored twice before bring the Falcons to 13-13 tie.
The back-and-forth contest had no shortage of excitement, though Messiah did carry a lead for all but a few minutes of the first-half. The Falcons took a 7-5 lead into the break and went up 8-5 just 46 seconds into the second-half by way of a score by
Claire Stikeleather. Etown responded with three-straight goals to knot the game at 8-8, setting up a thrilling final 23 minutes of play.
Keeney scored her fourth goal of the game to put the Falcons up 9-8 with 22:45 on the clock, with
Gabrielle Hamelryck collecting her fourth assist. The helper gave Hamelryck 42 total assists this season, setting a new single-season record for the Falcons' program.
But Etown was undeterred, and again scored three-straight times to take an 11-9 lead. Stikeleather, the Commonwealth Rookie of the Year, then scored on a free position shot to cut the deficit in half, with Keeney soon following with a game-tying score.
After Genuario and Porter combined to put Etown ahead 13-11, Keeney and Kjellman ran off the aforementioned 3-0 run to give the Falcons a 14-13 lead—an advantage that seemed precarious despite Messiah having possession in the final minute.
Flounlacker proved as much by making good on the Blue Jays' forced turnover with 40 seconds left, tying the game for the sixth time to send the teams to overtime.
The powerful sophomore led Etown (11-6) with four goals and three assists, with Porter scoring five goals. Waldman proved to be a difference maker for the Blue Jays in the cage, collecting 17 saves on 41 shots by Messiah.
Keeney led the Falcons with a season-high seven goals, and added an assist for a game-high eight points. Stikeleather scored four times while the Blue Jays managed to limit the chances for All-Commonwealth performers Kjellman and
Carly Bajus.
The loss drops No. 19 Messiah to 10-7 as they'll now hope to receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Championships Tournament. Their chances may seem slim with seven losses in their record, but with five of those losses coming to teams ranked at some point in the IWLCA Top 20 poll, the Falcons will nevertheless hope for their third-straight berth into the NCAAs.
WLAX: Overtime Thriller Goes To Etown Gallery
