FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – After trailing for the first 45 minutes of Saturday's contest at No. 7 University of Mary Washington, No. 12 Messiah women's lacrosse tied the game at 10 with 14:39 left to play, but could not complete the comeback as they fell to the Eagles 14-10.
 
With the win, Mary Washington improves to 8-1 on the year, while Messiah falls to 4-3. However, all three of the Falcons' defeats have come at the hands of teams ranked in the top eight of the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association poll (other two being No. 1 Gettysburg and No. 8 Franklin & Marshall).
 
Annika Johnsen led the Falcons offensively with three goals and an assist for four points on the afternoon. Courtney Wagner added two goals and one assists, and five other Falcons tallied one goal apiece. Three Eagles combined to score 10 of Mary Washington's 14 scores: Hope Lockwood (4), Allison Davis (3), and Julia Albert (3).
 
Despite the four-goal final differential, Mary Washington only put one more shot on frame in the game than Messiah (21-20). Draw controls were as even as could be, as the teams took 12 apiece. However, the Eagles held the advantage in turnovers (16-20) and ground balls (23-14).
 
Mary Washington jumped out to an early lead almost immediately, controlling the opening draw and registering a goal from the stick of Lockwood just 21 seconds into the contest. The Eagles' lead rose to 3-0 before Messiah could get on the board, but goals from Mckenna Edwards and Courtney Wagner (free-position) cut the deficit to 3-2 with 13:42 remaining in the opening half.
 
However, Mary Washington closed the half on a 4-1 run to take a 7-3 lead into the break.
 
The Eagles extended their lead to 9-4 three minutes in to the second period, but the Falcons responded with a run of their own. Annika Johnsen, Courtney Wagner, and Jamie Bishop all tallied in a span of just 83 seconds to cut the deficit to two at the 25:05 mark.
 
After Mary Washington scored to go back up by three, 10-7, Messiah countered with another three-goal run to tie the game at 10 with 14:39 to play. Abby Howard got the run started with a free position goal, followed by scores from Michelle Krenzke and Jess Hatch.
 
Despite the valiant comeback, it would not quite be enough for the Falcons as the Eagles notched the final four goals of the game to take the 14-10 victory.
 
Messiah returns home for the first time in a month as the Falcons host Buffalo State University on Wednesday, Mar. 27 at 4:00 p.m.