GRANTHAM, Pa. – Sunny Gelnovatch scored less than four minutes into play and Brooke Firestone also scored a first-half goal to help No. 7 Messiah women's soccer earn a 2-0 win over Lebanon Valley on Homecoming Day. The win pushed Messiah to 11-1-3 overall, and also 5-0-1 in the MAC Commonwealth.
 
The Dutchmen fell to 8-3-3, including 4-2 in the conference.
 
Early Advantage
The game was just starting to settle in the Falcons' favor when Sunny Gelnovatch gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Julia Kyne served from the right side of the field into the box, and Gelnovatch leaped at the six-yard line for a header that arched high and toward the top-right corner of the goal. Dutchmen keeper Emma Strickler recovered just in time for touch, but she couldn't stop the ball from crossing the line and hitting the net.

The goal was Gelnovatch's fourth of the season, and also her second in four games.
 
Steady Hold
In the 12' the Dutchmen found their one-and-only great opportunity of the first-half when Rileigh Jo Evitts chipped a shot from the right side toward the goal. Lydia Ewing timed her jump perfectly to tip it away from the goal, and the defense then cleared it away.
 
Other than that, the entire field was for the Falcons. They collected eight shots in the period, and they doubled the advantage in the 36' thanks to some terrific play through the midfield. Once again, it was Kyne starting the action with a pass forward to Maddie Kohl. She turned and pressed quickly toward the top of the box and then slotted Brooke Firestone on the left side. After a single touch Firestone fired it on an angle past Strickler.

The tally gave Firestone a goal in each of the past three games, and five overall. The two assists for Kyne also tied her with Firestone for the team lead (7).
 
Play it Out
The second-half brought much of the same—Messiah holding long stretches of territory, and the Falcons' defense keeping the Dutchmen from creating dangerous chances. Lydia Ewing was forced to make just one more save, but it a routine grab on a slow bounce. On the other side Messiah collected 11 more shots and five more corners, though they couldn't break through to pad their lead.
 
In the end, the Falcons allowed just two shots on goal, their sixth time in as many conference games they've allowed two-or-less shots on frame.
 
Up Next
The Falcons next play on Tuesday when they travel to Hood College for a game at 3:30 p.m.