XML Box Score Geneva, NY – A goal by William Smith's Zoe Eth in the 31st minute held up for a Herons' 1-0 win on Saturday, as Messiah College lost for the second time in four days. The win for William Smith accounts for their first-ever victory over the Falcons, a program responsible for ending the Herons' seasons—all in the Final Four— in 2008, 2010, and 2011.
Almost a year ago to the day, the Falcons and Herons played to a 1-1 tie, with
Alicia Frey's goal in the 50th minute of that game bringing Messiah back from a 1-0 deficit. On Saturday, the Falcons were not so fortunate.
The game was physical throughout, with the Herons collecting 10 of the 13 total fouls and each team receiving a yellow card. William Smith controlled territory in the early minutes of the game, but Messiah quickly settled in and came close to taking a lead after just five minutes when
Nikki Elsaesser was played through the Herons' defense and into the left side of the box. Finding herself one-on-one with Dunay, Elseasser's shot went inches wide of the left post.
A few minutes later, Elsaesser had another chance for an early score but saw her shot, lined up and struck from top of the 18-yard line, deflect off defender Amanda Faherty. The ball bounded out to
Carly Schaefer on the left side, but her shot from 23 yards out when wide of the near post.
With Messiah keeping a slight edge in possession as the first-half moved along, William Smith made the most of a corner kick in the 31st minute. The serve from Emma Diehl went to the middle of the Falcons' box where Zoe Eth placed a header to the left corner of the net. The score was Eth's first of the season and put the Herons up 1-0.
William Smith almost doubled their advantage in the 38th minute when Maddie Devereaux was fed a through ball behind the Messiah defense.
Audra Larson beat Devereaux to the ball with a dive, though, keeping it a one-goal game.
The teams moved through the half with the 1-0 score, with Messiah having an eight to two advantage in shots. The first 15 minutes of the second-half was open end-to-end, and Messiah nearly tied the game on a free kick by
Alicia Frey in the 58th minute. Dunay's stop of the short-hop strike from 20 yards accounted for one of her five saves on the day and kept the Herons on top.
Dunay's final save of the day came on a shot by
Marisa Weaver in the 83rd minute, a hard strike from 25 yards out that was heading for the top of the goal before Dunay's grab.
In the final minutes, the Herons managed to keep the Falcons from holding consistent possession, with the horn sounding the victory for the home team.
The loss drops Messiah to 2-2 on the season and also constitutes the first two-game losing streak in coach
Scott Frey's 14-year career on the Falcons' sideline. William Smith moves to 2-1 on the season.
The Falcons will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday, Sept. 11 when they travel to the University of Mary Washington for a 4:30 game.
