Reading, PA- The Falcons of Messiah College defeated the Crusaders of Alvernia University in a 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-21) sweep on the road Tuesday night. Messiah improved to 7-1 and 1-1 in the MAC Commonwealth with the win. Jane Underman and Braedyn Gallagher led the team with 10 kills each while Hannah Baumer added nine in the win and finished with an impressive .412 attack percentage. Brooke Gallagher dished out 35 assists and had four service aces on the night.
 
Messiah started their sweep coming from behind to earn the set one victory 25-22. The Falcons tallied more kills (14-7) and had a higher attack percentage (.182-.027) than the Crusaders during the first set of play.
 
The Falcons jumped to a quick 3-0 lead in that first set but the Crusaders scored three points off two kills and a Messiah error to tie it 3-3. With Messiah leading 8-5 Alvernia scored five unanswered points to take the lead 10-8. 

Trailing 17-13 the Falcons scored four-straight points off two Alvernia errors and kills by Jane Underman and Braedyn Gallagher to knot the score. Soon leading 23-22, a kill from Jane Underman-- her fifth of the set-- and a Crusader service error gave Messiah the set one victory 25-22.
 
Messiah kept the momentum from the end of set one and came out strong in the second set. They finished with a higher attack percentage (.360-.273) and committed fewer errors (4-5) than Alvernia in set two.
 
Brooke Gallagher tallied four points off four-straight service aces to give the Falcons a 4-0 lead. With the score 10-3 in favor of the Falcons, Braedyn Gallagher hammered down three kills and Taylor Hook added one of her own to extend the lead 14-3. Alvernia responded with five-straight points to cut the Falcons lead to 14-8.
 
Leading 20-14 the Crusaders tallied two points to pull within four but Messiah would answer with two kills by Hannah Baumer and one from Braedyn Gallagher to give the Falcons a 23-16 lead. With the score 24-19 a kill by Braedyn Gallagher gave Messiah the second set win.
 
The Falcons came out aggressive in what would be the third and final set, jumping to an early 5-0 lead. A tremendous block assist by Mary Underman and Hannah Baumer extended the lead 6-0. Now leading 13-9, Alvernia scored four unanswered points off four Messiah errors to tie the score 13-13, but Messiah regained the lead 14-13 on a block assist by Mary Underman and Jane Underman.
 
The two teams traded points and the Falcons found themselves trailing 20-18 but scored four-straight points off two Alvernia errors and kills by Braedyn Gallagher and Jane Underman to go ahead 22-20.
 
Leading 23-21 Mary Underman recorded her third block of the set and an attack error by the Crusaders gave the Falcons the third set and match victory.
 
Mary Underman finished with four blocks on the night. She now has eight block solos, 15 block assists, and 23 total on the season, good enough for a 0.88 block per set average. Emily Zellers had 13 digs while Jessica Zellers added 11 of her own in the win.
 
Messiah will be back in action this Friday when they take on Rowan University at 6:00 p.m. in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania.