Annville, PA - The Falcons avenged their regular season loss and swept the Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley College 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-18) to advance to the Commonwealth Championship.

The first set of the match was an evenly played match and the closest of the night. The score was tied 11 times throughout the match and there were four lead changes that took place.
 
Messiah trailed 17-13 mid-way through the set when they went on a five point scoring streak to retake the lead 18-17. The scoring streak was led by four attack errors committed by the Dutchmen and a kill from Kristen Douglas.
 
Both teams battled and exchanged the lead until the score was notched at 23 a piece. Jane Underman and Kristen Douglas delivered the final two kills of the set and gave the Falcons the 25-23 first set victory.
 
The second set was another evenly played contest in the beginning until the Falcons slowly pulled away and earned a 25-15 victory. The set was tied 8-8 when the Falcons scored five of the next six points scored. Kills by Taylor Hook and Kristen Douglas gave the Falcons momentum until the Dutchmen answered with a kill of their own by Greta Weidemoyer. A service ace from Taylor Hook and an attack error and a service error by the Dutchmen gave Messiah a 13-9 lead.
 
The largest scoring streak of the set came when Messiah had a 14-11 lead. The Falcons completed the six point scoring streak by two kills from Kristen Douglas, a kill by Hayley Cowoski, and three attack errors from the Dutchmen which gave the Falcons a 20-11 lead. Messiah led 22-15 when Jane Underman tallied and a kill and Hannah Baumer tallied two kills to give Messiah the second set victory.
 
Both teams played each other tough in the third set and brought the score to 20-17 in the Falcons favor. Messiah rallied off four unanswered points with two kills from Jane Underman and two attack errors from the Dutchmen to put the Falcons ahead 24-17. Jane Underman delivered the final kill and gave the Falcons the set and match victory.
 
Jane Underman led the Falcons offensively with 17 kills while Emily Zellers had a solid night defensively finishing with 15 digs.
 
The Falcons will travel to Stevenson University to take on the defending Commonwealth champions this coming Saturday.