EWING, N.J. - After an early goal from Hannah Palm just 58 seconds into the game, the Lions tallied three unanswered goals to defeat Messiah 3-1. TCNJ put in the equalizer in the second quarter and tallied one in the third and one in the fourth to seal the victory over Messiah.

The Falcons held a slight 8-7 advantage in shots heading into the half but TCNJ evened things out with a 6-5 advantage in the second half, evening the attack at 13-13. The Falcons certainly had their chances with 11 shots on goal but TCNJ's defense was strong and only allowed the one goal on the day. 

With today's loss, Messiah is now 2-3 on the season and will continue their season on the road with a game against Catholic University of America on Sept. 21 followed by an Elite Eight rematch on Sept. 25 at Johns Hopkins University.

Quick Score
After two quick fouls from TCNJ, the Falcons put the pressure on early with a shot from Taylor Wiederrecht that was saved 47 seconds into the contest. Four seconds later the Falcons were awarded a penalty corner and capitalized on the opportunity as Hannah Palm slotted the ball into the cage with an assist from Mackenzie Brubaker, giving Messiah a 1-0 lead just 58 seconds into the game.

Messiah's goal was followed by continuous offensive pressure from the Falcons. Messiah rifled in a shot off a penalty corner with 4:41 on the clock but the shot was saved. Wiederrecht was there to scoop up the ball but sent this one just wide. 

Moments later in the first period, the Falcons recorded four-straight corners but couldn't find the cage.

Equalizer
After a quiet few minutes in the second quarter, TCNJ started tacking on the pressure as they sent a shot wide 2:25 into the second quarter before striking the post after a penalty corner 37 seconds later. With momentum on their side, the Lions recorded three more corners before finding the tying goal in the 21st minute. 

Messiah responded with pressure of their own but their three shots were all saved as the game went into halftime 1-1.

Lions Take The Lead
Just 1:04 into the third quarter, the Lions found the back of the cage off a backhanded chip that deflected off Megan Bomba's stick, giving TCNJ a 2-1 lead.

The Falcons earned two penalty quarters late in the third quarter but the two resulting shots were both saved as the game went into the fourth quarter.

Adding One More
After two minutes and three seconds of play in the fourth quarter, TCNJ earned a penalty corner that resulted in the Lions' third goal of the game, giving them a commanding 3-1 lead over the Falcons. 

Despite being down 3-1, Messiah tried to battle back, putting two of their three shots in the quarter on frame. 

What's Up Next
The Falcons will stay on the road with a game against Catholic University of America on Sept. 21 followed by an Elite Eight rematch on Sept. 25 at Johns Hopkins University.