Grantham, PA - Three different Falcons tallied to help Messiah College overcome an early 1-0 deficit and win 3-1 over Alvernia University on Saturday afternoon. The decision pushed the Falcons to 4-4 on the season, including 1-0 in the MAC Commonwealth.
 
Margaret Wentzel, the MAC Commonwealth's leading scorer, got the Crusaders on the board first with a goal just 2:11 into the contest. Wentzel wove through traffic on the left side and fired a shot that beat Shelby Landes and gave Alvernia a 1-0 lead on the first shot of the game.
 
The Falcons tied the game just over five minutes later. Off a penalty corner Kezia Loht took a shot that was saved. Kaylor Rosenberry picked up the rebound and fired a shot from in front of the cage. Rosenberry's shot was blocked to Carissa Gehman on the left side. Gehman went top-shelf and beat Alvernia goalie Rebecca Brosious over her right shoulder.
 
With the score tied at 1-1 less than eight minutes into the game, the Falcons continued to pressure the Crusaders for the majority of the first-half. Despite this pressure, the Crusaders did have two solid chances with penalty corners in the 21st and 33rd minutes. Those two corners resulted in a single shot in each. One shot was blocked and Landes turned the other away. Heading to the half the score remained tied 1-1, with the Falcons out shooting the Crusaders 9-3.
 
After the intermission the Crusaders went on the attack, firing off four shots in the first nine minutes of the half. The Falcons weathered the barrage of shots before settling down.
 
On just their second shot of the half, the Falcons connected in the 51st minute off a penalty corner. Taylor Holt started the play by finding Kristin Donohue at the top of the circle. Donohue then passed to Gehman on the left side. Gehman had to lunge for the pass but got a stick on it and in the process took a shot off that was tipped by Holt into the back of the cage.
 
Now leading 2-1, the Falcons didn't have to wait long for some insurance. Less than four minutes later, Shayna Landis sent a long pass into the circle from the left side that was tipped by Megan Prall into the right side of the cage giving the Falcons a 3-1 lead. The goal was Prall's first of the season and second of her career.
 
The Falcons earned three penalty corners late in the game, but couldn't add to their two goal lead and won by a final score of 3-1.
 
The win improves the Falcons to 4-4 on the season and begin MAC Commonwealth play with a 1-0 mark. Alvernia falls to 4-4 and 0-1 in the conference.
 
Messiah will next take the field on Tuesday when the University of Mary Washington travels to Grantham. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.