Owings Mills, MD – For the third time this season Messiah women's soccer played into a second overtime. For the first time, they settled for a draw.
 
No. 1 Messiah played a full 110 minutes with Stevenson on Wednesday, finishing 1-1 after a goal by the Mustangs' Lauren Spivey equaled the score in the 73rd minute. Nikki Elsaesser tallied for the Falcons in the 55th minute, but Messiah was unable to either protect their lead or add another score to earn the win.
 
The draw—played through steady rain from start to finish—dropped both teams to 3-0-1 in the Commonwealth. Messiah fell to 13-0-1 overall, Stevenson to 5-5-4.
 
Elsaesser's goal came directly off a throw-in by Mackenzie Clapper on the left side, with Nikki taking the ball at the corner of the 18, quickly turning middle, and firing a shot inside the near post.
 
The goal broke the stalemate, and simultaneously forced Stevenson to open from their compacted backfield. Messiah nearly scored in the 64th minute off a corner serve, but Erin Sollenberger's off-balanced shot amid the scrum was blocked away by the Stevenson defense.
 
Less than 10 minutes later Stevenson found a chance to even the score. Isabella Ekeze cut through the midfield and managed to get around her defender to cut into the right side of the box. From 10 yards off the post she sent a short cross to the far side where Lauren Spivey was left unmarked. Her quick redirection crossed the goal line before Audra Larson could recover, and the game was tied.
 
Despite momentum swinging to Stevenson, Messiah managed to create opportunities in regulation. Elsaesser took a turnover in the midfield in the 88th minute to set up a chance, but her eventual cross from the right end line just missed the run of Marisa Weaver to the middle of the box.
 
As the teams entered overtime, the rain kept the turf faster than usual. The conditions contributed to spontaneous end-to-end play, though Messiah routinely settled possession to create the most organized attacks. Still, eight—and sometimes nine—defenders in the Falcons' attacking third stifled their opportunities.
 
Other than a few corner attempts and free kicks from the midfield, neither team managed to get too close to a game winner in the final minutes.
 
As mentioned, Messiah remains tied atop the conference standings with Stevenson. The Falcons will next play on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. when they host Albright College on Messiah's Homecoming Day.