GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No. 2 Messiah women's soccer team scored two goals in the first six minutes against the Denison Big Red on Saturday afternoon on Shoemaker Field. Maddie Kohl got the Falcons on the board in the fourth minute off a feed from Ellie Lengacher and then just two minutes later Brooke Firestone doubled the Messiah lead with her fifth goal of the season.
 
Firestone would strike again in the 31st minute with her sixth tally of the season and Mallory Johnson pushed through her first tally as a Falcon in the 34th minute.
 
After a scoreless second half, Messiah earned the 4-0 victory to improve to 6-1-0 on the season. The Falcons are next in action on Wednesday when they travel to Marymount to take on the Saints at 7:00 p.m.
 
Falcons Start Fast
Messiah wasted little time getting on the board with Maddie Kohl connecting on the Falcons' first shot of the match in just the fourth minute. Messiah worked the ball into the left corner with a couple of quick passes. Ellie Lengacher pushed the ball up the end line before slotting a pass to an unmarked Kohl in the middle of the box. Kohl sent a quick left-footed strike to the near post for her fourth goal of the season and an early 1-0 lead for the Falcons.
 
Messiah was not done there as Brooke Firestone helped Messiah to a 2-0 lead just two minutes later with the first of her goals on the afternoon. Once again, it was Lengacher setting up her teammate. This time Lengacher sent a through ball up the seam of the defense to a streaking Firestone down the left side. Firestone took a touch to bring the keeper off her line before sending a shot over the keeper's right shoulder.
 
Firestone's fifth goal of the year gave Messiah a 2-0 lead just six minutes into the game.
 
Messiah Adds First-Half Insurance
After sustaining consistent pressure over the next 25 minutes, Messiah was able to find the back of the net two more times in the opening half with Firestone collecting her second and Mallory Johnson netting her first as a Falcon.
 
In the 31st minute it was Firestone to Firestone as Kylie Firestone found older sister Brooke with a perfectly weighted through ball up the left side. The elder Firestone ran onto the pass and hammered home her second goal of the afternoon and sixth of the season.
 
Just three minutes later, Rebecca Ritchie send a shot from the right-side of the box toward the back post. Her attempt was saved by the Denison keeper Patil Tcholakian, but the rebound trickled right to the foot of Mallory Johnson on the left side. Johnson calmly struck the ball into the open net for her first score in a Messiah uniform. The tally gave Messiah a 4-0 lead that they would hold through the half.
 
Scoreless Second-Half
Messiah held possession for the vast majority of the second-half and held a 9-1 advantage in shots during the period. Despite controlling possession and holding multiple dangerous attempts down the stretch, Messiah's offense was held in check during the final 45 minutes of play.
 
The four first-half goals proved to be enough as the Falcons claimed a 4-0 shutout victory. The blank sheet is Messiah's fifth shutout victory of the season in seven games.
 
What's Up Next
Messiah will be back in action on Wednesday night when they travel to Marymount University to take on the Saints at 7:00 p.m. in a non-conference midweek match-up. Wednesday's meeting will be the third-ever contest between Messiah and Marymount, but their first since Oct. 3, 1992. Messiah is 2-0-0 all-time against the Saints.