Geneva, NY – The No. 1 Messiah field hockey team received two early goals from Kaylor Rosenberry and held on for a 4-1 victory over No. 19 William Smith in a nonconference matchup on Saturday afternoon.
 
It was the final game of the regular season for the Falcons, tuning up for postseason play against a quality opponent ranked in the NFHCA top-20.
 
With their 16th-straight win, Messiah caps a perfect regular season against Division III competition, improving to 16-1 overall. The Herons fall to 12-5 on the year.
 
Messiah outshot William Smith 20-10 (13-5 on goal) in the game, and gained seven penalty corners to the Herons' four.
 
There was only one shot between the two teams for the majority of the first ten minutes of the contest, coming from the Herons in the third minute. Messiah earned a penalty corner at the 9:54 mark, which Taylor Holt sent in to Carissa Gehman at the top of the circle. Gehman blasted a shot that was kick-saved on a nice play by William Smith keeper Biz Chirco.
 
Three minutes later, the Falcons were given a second penalty corner, and did not squander the opportunity this time. Holt took it again, passing to Kristin Donohue, who sent the ball to Rosenberry on the right side for the shot through the defense and into the cage. The goal was the sophomore defender's first of the season.
 
William Smith had a great opportunity of their own in the 16th minute, as on a fast break Hannah Wood broke open and caused Shelby Landes to come out of goal for Messiah. Wood's shot snuck by Landes, but Sara Brooks managed to get back in time and knock the ball away for the defensive save.
 
With seven minutes to play in the first-half, the Falcons gained their third penalty corner of the match. Holt sent the ball to Nicole Wilkerson at the top of the circle, who dished it to Rosenberry for another goal from the exact same spot as her first tally.
 
At the half, Messiah held a 2-0 lead, outshooting William Smith 7-2 (6-1 on goal) and gaining five penalty corners to the Herons' zero.
 
William Smith came out strong in the second-half, finding an opportunity just 32 seconds in as an Alessandra Patrizio shot sailed just wide of the goal. Three minutes later, Landes had to make a fantastic kick-save when Wood got a shot from point-blank range. However, they would break through in the 42nd minute, as Maura Moran sent the Herons' first penalty corner of the game in to Cydney Conley, who relayed it over to Wood for the shot and goal to cut the Messiah lead to one.
 
Less than two minutes later, the Falcons looked to answer as Lindsay Bower fired a shot that was knocked down by Chirco. Donohue picked up the loose ball and sent it to Moriah Pfautz at the top of the circle for the blast that found the cage, just inside the left post. Pfautz's 15th goal of the season would push the lead back up to two at 3-1.
 
With 12 minutes remaining, the Herons received their second penalty corner of the game, and Jessica Borbee got off a shot that sailed over the cage. Another corner came just 30 seconds later, and Sara Brooks took one for the team as Wood fired a shot that hit Brooks right in the midsection. Brooks would tough it out though and stay in the game for the Falcons.
 
After the defensive stand, Messiah reversed the field and put pressure back on the Herons as Pfautz's strike was saved by Chirco, but fell to an open Holt on the right side for the easy score and the Falcon's fourth goal of the afternoon.
 
Messiah's defense would not give up another shot for the remainder of the game, and the Falcons secured the 4-1 victory.
 
Kaylor Rosenberry had her best offensive game of the season, connecting for goals on both of her shots. Moriah Pfautz added a goal on five shots, and Taylor Holt recorded one tally on three shots.
 
With the regular season completed, Messiah now looks to the postseason as they host 4-seed Lebanon Valley College in the semifinal of the MAC Commonwealth Tournament on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.