XML Box Score by Phil Naegley, GoMessiah.com reporter

Grantham, PA - No. 12 Messiah College opened the 2014 season in loud fashion on Saturday, scoring six times to defeat visitor Stevens Tech 6-1 on Anderson Field. Carissa Gehman scored twice and four other Falcons also tallied in the victory.

"It was nice to see us come out strong and make a statement," head coach Brooke Good reflected. "Last year we beat them in overtime, so we know they are a formidable opponent and we knew we needed to play a great game."
 
As Good remembered, Messiah opened up their 2013 season with a 2-1 overtime win over Stevens thanks to a game-winner from Brooke Sands. This year's match-up and final score looked much different.
 
The Falcons dominated from the beginning of the match and put pressure on Stevens Tech goalkeeper Emily Stukenborg early on. In the first 10 minutes alone they fired 10 shots forcing Stukenborg to make four saves.
 
With the momentum in their favor, Messiah earned their fourth penalty corner and capitalized on the opportunity. Taylor Holt played the ball to Becky Ely at the top of the striking circle who found Moriah Pfautz. Her shot at the 11:18 mark got past Stukenborg and gave the hosts the early lead.
 
After the early score Messiah continued to pressure the Ducks and found the game's second goal about five minutes later.
 
Mattie Berger possessed the ball in the midfield creating a counter-attack opportunity and found Gehman on the left side of the circle. She fired it into the cage for both her first collegiate tally and first of two goals in the game.
 
Messiah increased their lead to three as the intermission approached. Off a penalty corner opportunity, Ely dribbled past her defender and found an open Pfautz who then passed through the circle to Jenna Bretz on the left side for the score.
 
At the half, Messiah led in shots over Stevens 20-1 and, after the break, the Falcons continued to increase their lead.
 
In the 42nd minute, Gehman found the ball inside a congested circle off blocked shot by Pfautz and tallied her second goal of the game. Five minutes later Holt dribbled past her defender on the nearside boundary into the circle and fired a rocket into the opposite side netting. The goal gave the Falcons a 5-0 advantage.
 
The Falcons maintained possession and kept most of the play within their half. All told in the final 35 minutes Messiah held 20-2 and 7-1 advantages in shots and penalty corners, respectively.
 
Stevens found their lone score on one of their two aforementioned second-half shots. In the 66th minute, Victoria Alvarez secured a loose ball within the circle and shot it past Carly Day.
 
With the game winding down, Messiah found one last opportunity with 23.5 seconds left. Emily Rubright's shot from the top of the circle eluded Stukenborg, capping off Messiah's six-goal performance.

The loss drops Stevens to 0-2 after they lost their season-opener to No. 11 TCNJ on Friday. Messiah improves to 1-0 will next play on Wednesday, Sept. 3 when they host Elizabethtown College at 7:00 p.m.
 
Wednesday's match against Elizabethtown will be their first meeting as non-conference opponents and a rematch of the 2013 Commonwealth Championship.
 
"Because we are [a] young [team], we don't know a lot about the rivalry," Good said looking ahead to the Falcons' next match. "It's always nice to play E-town even though they aren't in our conference anymore to keep that tradition and rivalry going."
 

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