FREDERICK, Md. - The No. 1 Messiah women's soccer team tallied three first-half goals en route to a 5-0 victory over the Hood Blazers on Wednesday night. Brooke Firestone scored her 15th goal of the season to get the scoring started in the 20th minute. Ellie Lengacher and Kylie Firestone followed with scores in the next 15 minutes to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead at the break.
 
After the half, Brooke Firestone scored her second of the night and Claire Brier connected in the 66th minute for the final goal in the shutout victory.
 
Messiah held a 39-6 advantage in shots during the contest, including a 24-2 edge in attempts in the opening half. The Falcons put 18 shots on frame against just three for the Blazers.
 
Messiah will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Albright at 7:30 p.m.
 
Three First-Half Goals
The Falcons wasted little time putting pressure on the Blazers. Messiah took five shots in the first nine minutes of the game, sending three on frame during the opening stretch. The pressure continued with five more shots in the next 10 minutes before the Falcons broke through the 20th minute.
 
During that opening stretch the Blazers sent a pair of shots toward the Falcons' goal, forcing Lydia Ewing to make one of her three saves on the night in the 12th minute.
 
The Falcons dented the scoreboard in the 20th minute off the foot of Brooke Firestone. Hustling down the right side, Firestone received a quick pass from Ellie Lengacher on the right side of the box and slotted a ball past the keeper for the 1-0 Messiah lead.
 
Just over eight minutes later, it was Lengacher's turn to put her name in the scoresheet. Kylie Firestone ran down a ball in the left corner and slotted a low cross back against the grain of the Hood defense to Lengacher in the middle of the box. Lengacher redirected the cross into the right-side of the goal mouth for the 2-0 lead.
 
In the 35th minute, Kylie Firestone notched an unassisted tally from the left side to give the Falcons their third goal of the evening. Firestone's goal was her third career score and second in conference play this season.
 
Messiah's pressure continued for the final 10 minutes of the half, but the lead remained three for the Falcons. Messiah took a total 24 shots in the first 45 minutes of play.
 
Second-Half Insurance
Less than 10 minutes into the second half, Lengacher carried the ball into the box on the right side and touched a pass toward the middle of the box for Brooke Firestone. After shouldering her defender off the ball, Firestone redirected the shot into the left-side netting for her second tally of the day and the 4-0 Messiah lead.
In the 66th minute, Messiah earned a corner kick in front of their own bench. The ball was swung into the box and bounced around between before finding the foot of Claire Brier on the left side of the box. Brier was in a one-on-one chance with the keeper and deftly slotted a shot into the back of the net for her second goal as a Falcon.
 
Brier's score was the final goal of the contest for the Falcons as Messiah claimed the 5-0 victory.
 
What's Up Next
With the win, Messiah improves to 14-1-1 on the season and 5-0-1 in the conference. The victory also locks up a spot in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament for the Falcons. Messiah will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Albright to take on the Lions at 7:30 p.m. The Falcons own a 25-0-1 all-time record against the Lions.