Grantham, PA - The Messiah field hockey team defeated the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen 3-0 on Wednesday night to break a tie atop the MAC Commonwealth standings. Kristin Donohue broke a scoreless tie late in the first-half for the Falcons first goal. Taylor Holt and Kezia Loht tallied in the second-half en route to the 3-0 victory. The win was Messiah's second-straight shutout.
 
While Messiah dominated possession throughout the majority of the contest - outshooting the Dutchmen 21-2 in the contest – the Falcons struggled to have dangerous opportunities in the early going. The Falcons were held to just three shots in the first 24 minutes of the game. In the 25th minute Moriah Pfautz fired a shot wide of the cage to begin a five-minute stretch where the Falcons rattled off five shots.
 
In this stretch, Kristin Donohue tallied the first goal of the contest in the 29th minute. Kaylor Rosenberry found Donohue wide open at the top of the circle. Donohue took her time to line up a shot before putting the ball through traffic and into the back of the cage.
 
Donohue's goal was the lone tally of the half and the Falcons held a 1-0 lead at the break.
 
Fifteen minutes into the second-half the Falcons struck for their second-goal. Kaylor Rosenberry carried the ball past the Falcons' bench and into the corner of the circle. Rosenberry sent a centering pass in from the corner that found the stick of Taylor Holt. Holt redirected the ball into the cage and gave Messiah a 2-0 lead. The goal was Holt's sixth in the last six games.
 
Twleve minutes later Kezia Loht increased the Falcons lead to 3-0. Carissa Gehman fired a shot from the center of the circle that went off the keeper and bounded to the frame. Mattie Berger tipped the shot forward and Loht swatted the ball out of the air and into the cage in the 62nd minute.

Shelby Landis made two saves in goal to claim her second shutout of the season and second in as many games.
 
With the win the Falcons improve to 5-0 in the conference and 10-5 overall. Messiah also remains undefeated at home this season with a perfect 8-0 record.
 
The Falcons will next take the field on Friday when they travel to Reading to take on the Albright Lions. Game time set for 3:30 p.m.