READING, Pa. – No. 7 Messiah women's soccer did seemingly all they could in a somewhat lopsided match at Albright on Wednesday, but, despite outshooting the Lions 24-0, they could not find a goal in a double-overtime scoreless draw. Messiah also attempted eight corners to the Lions' zero in the full 110 minutes of play.

The tie moves Messiah to 7-1-3, while Albright now stands at 5-5-1.
 
Same Story, Different Ending
Over the past two seasons, "overtime" and "Albright" are two words that have run together more than Scott Frey and company would prefer. A year ago, the Lions and Falcons battled through nearly 100 minutes of scoreless play on Shoemaker Field. Messiah gathered 24 shots (10 on goal) in that contest, the exact same totals it recorded this year against Albright.
 
In 2016, however, the Falcons managed to score in the first overtime on a sensational Lydia Eichorn header with five seconds remaining. They were not as fortunate this time around, though they were close on a few occasions.
 
I Shoot, You Shoot, We All Shoot
Every Messiah starter, with the exception of goalkeeper Lydia Ewing and defender Skylar Ulry, uncorked at least one shot in the draw. Sunny Gelnovatch paced Messiah throughout the night, finishing with a game-highs in shots (six) and shots on goal (three). Brooke Firestone totaled four shots and Emily D'Amico connected on two that both landed on frame.
 
The Falcons stayed busy early in the first half, with shots from Sarah Strachan, D'Amico, and Gelnovatch keeping Lions' netminder Alexis Tunney (10 saves) on her toes. Tunny turned away Megan Mansfield's effort at the tail end of the first stanza and denied Gelnovatch in the 83' and Barb Foster in the 84' to bring on overtime.  
 
Game of Inches
With Albright bunkered in the box, Messiah nearly claimed the contest during a minute-long flurry that included three corners and two near misses. Foster's 94' shot greeted the crossbar, and Abby Monko's follow-up veered wide a few seconds later. The Falcons would earn another corner and shot in the 99', but Tunney was able to snatch up Gelnovatch's on-target header.
 
Messiah continued its game-long dominance of possession in the second overtime but were held to fewer chances by the home side's stingy, all-hands-on-deck defense. Maddie Kohl (105') and Gelnovatch (107') stood as the only Falcons to record a shot in the final period.
 
Eichorn did not get a chance to win it for Messiah this time around, but she, along with D'Amico, Ulry, DJ Cole and Sarah Strachan, fortified a defensive effort that kept Albright shot-less.
 
The Road Less Traveled
Since Frey arrived in 2000, the Falcons have not been shutout more than three times in one season. That changed this fall, thanks to a trio of 0-0 ties (Johns Hopkins, Stevens, Albright) and a 1-0 loss to William Smith. Messiah's defense, though, is buying its typically high-flying offense time to gather its wings. The Falcons have yet to concede a goal since Sept. 16, having allowed only two all year. That trend will need to continue against Messiah's next opponent, an Arcadia side that faced the Falcons in last year's MAC Commonwealth championship.
 
Messiah won that clash 2-0 and will look for a similar result in the Oct. 10 home showdown opposite the conference's current co-leader, which shares the top spot with Widener.