XML Box Score by Phil Naegley, GoMessiah.com reporter

Huntingdon, PA – On a hot and humid afternoon, Messiah traveled to Juniata College to take on the Eagles. The Falcons found a score early on, but needed overtime to come away with the victory.
 
Nine minutes into play, Lindsay Bower found Taylor Holt near the baseline, who put a shot on left side of a wide open cage to put Messiah up 1-0.
 
Messiah's offensive pressure continued after the first goal, as they earned two corners in a minute span. Nicole Wilkerson doubled the Falcons' lead off of a corner at the 13:54 mark. Wilkerson found Ely at the top of the circle, who passed it back to Wilkerson. Like Holt's goal just a few minutes earlier, Wilkerson's goal came from the left side of the cage near the baseline.
 
With the Falcons now leading 2-0, they looked to increase their lead yet again. Off a Messiah penalty corner, Juniata successfully cleared the potential attack and began a counterattack. Sarah Bilheimer dribbled into the circle before feeding Mikaela Sloan. Her shot bounced passed the Falcons' defense and cut the lead in half.
 
After Sloan's goal at the 18:06 mark, both teams traded chances but the Falcons held onto their 2-1 lead heading into the half.
 
Just as Messiah attacked early in the first-half, Juniata came out firing to begin the second half, in searching of the equalizer.
 
It wouldn't take long.
 
Allison Groft sent a bouncing ball through a busy circle and the Eagles tied the score at 2-2 at the 38:36 mark. After the score, Messiah called a timeout to refocus.
 
"I took the timeout to refocus us and give the girls some things to focus on," head coach Brooke Good explaining her strategy. "I though they came out of that timeout with urgency and purpose."
 
Out of the timeout, Messiah outshot Juniata 5-2 and found opportunities to find another goal with seven second-half penalty corner opportunities. However, the Falcons were unable to score and the hosts had their own chance to find a game-winner at the end of regulation.
 
Off of a corner, Carly Day was forced to save Sarah Bilheimer's shot before Katie Alexander's attempt just missed left of the cage.
 
After 31 minutes of scoreless hockey, the game headed to overtime.
 
Throughout overtime the Eagles and Falcons trading chances before the Falcons connected with a game winner. Off of a penatly corner, Holt passed to Ely who found Bower in the middle of the circle. Bower's one-time shot navigated passed Juniata's keeper and into the cage, giving the Falcons the win.
 
"Lindsay Bower really deserved that goal to win the game," Coach Good reflecting on her midfielder's performance. "She was 0-2 (on shot attempts) in regulation, but she converted."
 
Messiah improves to 3-0 with their second-straight 3-2 victory, while Juniata falls to 2-1.
 
The Falcons continue their non-conference schedule when Ursinus College travles to Grantham on Wednesday, Sept. 10. The game is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Anderson Field.

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