XML Box Score Grantham, PA – Messiah College head coach
Scott Frey reached the 300-win plateau on Wednesday night as the Falcons scored five times in a shutout over Mary Washington.
Nikki Elsaesser scored twice for the No. 3 Falcons while
Mackenzie Clapper,
Kyele Bridel, and
Kate Shults also tallied.
Messiah took much of the first-half to settle into form, though they still outshot the Eagles 12-2 before the intermission.
Mackenzie Clapper's first goal of the game gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute, and it came in exciting fashion. Working out of a five-man set above the penalty box, Clapper drilled a shot into the left side of the goal for the score.
The 1-0 lead held until the start of the second-half when Elsaesser carried possession to the endline and found Bridel in front of the goal for a quick one-touch goal. Twenty minutes later Elsaesser scored the first of her two goals on an open field, one-on-one chance against keeper Charlotte Owens.
Elaesser's second score came in the 75th minute and, like her first, it was set up by
Erin Sollenberger. This time she was found on a run across the top of the box and sent a quick strike on the ground past Owens and into the left side of the goal. For Elsaesser, it was her third goal of the season.
Messiah's final goal came in the 81st minute when
Kate Shults placed a perfect shot from the top of the box over the head of Owens and into the top of the net.
The five goals for the Falcons were a season-high, but the main story was Frey's 300th career win.
Now in his 15th season, Frey's record stands at 300-17-14—a .927 win percentage that is the best-ever among all NCAA Division I, II, or III men's or women's soccer coaches with at least 10 years of coaching.
Frey's 300 wins with the Falcons include five NCAA Division III National Championships and 13 conference championships. His teams at Messiah have won at least 20 games 10 times, including seven-straight seasons entering 2014. From 2004-2012 the Falcons also qualified for nine-straight Final Fours.
Now 4-0 this season, the Falcons will next play on Saturday, Sept. 13 when they travel to Salisbury University for a 1:00 p.m. game.
