BALTIMORE, Md. - In an Elite Eight rematch against the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, the Falcons fell 4-2 despite a late comeback with a goal in the third period and a goal in the fourth period with opportunity for more as the time the clock was expiring. The Blue Jays tallied three goals in the opening half and added one more in the third period. Messiah's first goal was scored by Kristen Musser in the 34th minute after she picked up a rebound to strike for the Falcons. Jennie Young tipped one in for the Falcons in the 46th minute off a corner to open up the fourth period. 

The Falcons were outshot by Johns Hopkins 11-8 with the Blue Jays putting 11 shots on frame to the Falcons' five. The Blue Jays also earned the advantage in corners, taking 14 to the Falcons' seven.

Messiah is now 3-4 on the season and will return to Grantham this Saturday, Sept. 28 to take on Alvernia University at 1:00 p.m. 

Blue Jays On Top Early 
The Falcons earned the first penalty corner of the game just 2:17 into the contest but it was the Blue Jays who struck first. After earning back-to-back penalty corners, Johns Hopkins found the back of the cage with a rip from the top of the corner to take the early 1-0 lead over the Falcons. 52 seconds after their goal, the Blue Jays earned another penalty corner but couldn't find the cage. Johns Hopkins came knocking on the door again in the 11th minute of the contest but goalie Megan Bomba was there to make the save. The Falcons' lone shot in the first period came off the stick of Hannah Palm in the 12th minute but it was just off target, keeping the Falcons down 1-0 at the end of the first period.

Falling Behind
The Blue Jays carried their first period momentum into the second period, taking a shot that went wide in the early portion of the 18th minute of the game. Just moments after that shot they sent a cross through the circle that was tapped into the cage to take the 2-0 lead over the Falcons. 

In the 25th minute, Nicole Shank inserted the Falcons' penalty corner to set up Claire Myers' shot but it was saved by goalie Kaitlin Hall to keep the 2-0 lead for Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays responded in the 29th minute with one shot and two corners before finding the cage once more to end the half with a 3-0 lead. The goal came off their sixth penalty corner of the night with just 45 seconds remaining before the halftime break. 

Fighting Back
Coming out of the break, the Blue Jays earned the first penalty corner of the third period but Messiah responded with one of their own in the 34th minute. The penalty corner resulted in a shot by Claire Myers but it was saved by Kaitlin Hall. Messiah didn't stop there though as Kristen Musser picked up the rebound and rifled it into the back of the cage to tally the Falcons' first goal of the night. Messiah followed the goal with a shot from Taylor Wiederrecht in the 37th minute but it was blocked. The Falcons kept the pressure on the Blue Jays, earning a penalty corner in the 39th minute but couldn't get anything out of it. 

Blue Jays Tally Fourth
Despite the Falcons' offensive pressure in the third period, Johns Hopkins closed out the period with a strong offensive push. The Blue Jays earned five corners across a span of one minute and 56 seconds before going near post in the 42nd minute to take a 4-1 lead over the Falcons heading into the fourth period. 

Comeback Falls Short
Opening up the fourth period, Messiah earned their fifth penalty corner of the night. Off the corner, Jennie Young took the pass from Mackenzie Brubaker to earn her first goal of the season and cut the Blue Jays' lead in half 4-2 just 43 seconds into the period. 

Johns Hopkins responded with an attack of their own, putting three more shots in the box score but Kathryn Armstrong made a defensive safe while one shot was blocked, and another was saved by goalie Megan Bomba. 

The Falcons made a late push with less than six minutes remaining in regulation but their two shots off of two corners were saved and blocked, ending the game 4-2 in favor of the Blue Jays.

What's Up Next
Messiah will open up MAC Commonwealth play against Alvernia University this Saturday, Sept. 28, here in Grantham.