GRANTHAM, Pa. - Messiah utilized five different goal scorers to defeat the Alvernia Golden Wolves 5-0. The Falcons struck the cage 10:04 into the first period as Makayla Malcolm took the pass from Hannah Palm to give Messiah a 1-0 lead. After a scoreless second period, Messiah had a busy second half as they scored two in the third period and two more in the fourth period. 

The Falcons maintained heavy offensive pressure throughout the game, taking 17 shots to Alvernia's one. Messiah recorded 16 shots on the day while allowing the Golden Wolves to earn just one. 

Messiah is now 4-4 on the season and will take on the No. 8 Franklin and Marshall Diplomats on Oct. 2 at 7:00 p.m. here in Grantham.

Falcons Up Early
After 9:52 of back and forth play, Kristen Musser struck a shot that was saved by the Golden Wolves but the play resulted in Messiah's first penalty corner of the day. With Nicole Shank inserting the corner, Hannah Palm slotted the ball over to Makayla Malcolm, who tallied her first career goal to give Messiah a 1-0 lead 10:04 into the contest. 

The Falcons took three more shots and earned three more penalty corners in the first period but couldn't connect. 

Second Period Pressure
The Falcons came out strong in the second period, earning a penalty corner just 1:55 after the first period. Ashlyn Smith took a shot from that corner but it was blocked by a Alvernia defender. Messiah then took a trio of penalty corners that occurred in a brief 16 seconds. On the third penalty corner, Taylor Wiederrecht ripped a shot but it was saved, keeping the game at 1-0 in favor of Messiah heading into the halftime break. 

Second Half, Many Firsts
Ashlyn Smith needed just four minutes and 28 seconds in the second half to strike her first career-goal to double the Falcons' lead at 2-0. Moments later on a penalty corner, Jess Davis ballooned the Falcons' lead to 3-0 with a lofted shot that found the back of the cage, giving Davis her first career goal.

The Falcons took two more shots in the third period but one was saved and one was blocked, sending Messiah to the fourth period with a 3-0 lead. 

Closing It Out
15 seconds into the fourth period, Hannah Palm ripped a shot on frame but it was saved. Just six seconds later, Josie Weaver picked up a pass from Mackenzie Brubaker and tapped one into the cage to extend Messiah's lead to 4-0 over the Golden Wolves.

Taylor Wiederrecht struck another shot with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game but her try was saved once again. Two minutes and five seconds after Wiederrecht's strike, Abby Boyer found the back of the cage to tally her third goal of the season and Messiah's fifth of the day, giving them a 5-0 victory over the Alvernia Golden Wolves. 

What's Up Next
As mentioned, the Falcons are set to take on the No. 8 Diplomats from Franklin and Marshall here in Grantham on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 7:00 p.m.