LANCASTER, Pa. - The No. 24 Messiah women's lacrosse team hung tough with the No. 4 Franklin & Marshall Diplomats on Wednesday afternoon for a majority of the first half, but the Diplomats attack was too much for the Falcons as Franklin & Marshall claimed a 19-9 victory. The Diplomats ended the first-half on a 10-1 run to take a 13-5 lead at the half before outscoring Messiah 6-4 after the break.
 
Messiah had three Falcons tally multiple goals in the game with Amanda Wadsworth, Rachel Delate, and Joanna King netting a pair each.
 
The Falcons fall to 2-2 on the young season after playing three ranked teams this season. Messiah is next in action on Saturday when they host Christopher Newport at 1:00 p.m.
 
Tight Early
Joanna King and Amanda Wadsworth scored back-to-back tallies in the first two minutes of the contest to take an early 2-0 lead. Joanna King netted an unassisted tally less than a minute into the contest and then 1:59 into the match, Rachel Delate found Wadsworth for the second-straight score before the Diplomats had possession of the ball.
 
Just 90 seconds later, the Diplomats' Marissa McGarrey scored twice in a 21-second span to tie the game at 2-2 with 26:21 remaining in the opening half. Megan Jackson scored an unassisted goal for the third-straight score for Franklin & Marshall to give the Diplomats a 3-2 lead.
 
Messiah hung tough during the Diplomats' three-goal streak. Hope Flack and Wadsworth tallied within a minute of each other to give the Falcons the lead back at 4-3 with 20:11 remaining in the game.
 
Diplomats Pull Away
Over the final 20 minutes of the first-half, the Diplomats took control of the game. Franklin & Marshall scored 10 goals in the 20-minute span, with the only Messiah tally of the stretch coming from Rachel Delate with 10:54 remaining in the half.
 
Their control of final 20 minutes of the second half, gave the Diplomats a 13-5 lead heading into the break.
 
While Messiah scored the first two goals of the second half, with tallies from Delate and Abby Howard to pull within six at 13-7, the Falcons were unable to get any closer in the game as the Diplomats earned the 19-9 victory.
 
What's Up Next
Messiah falls to 2-2 on the season and will be back in action on Saturday afternoon when they host the Christopher Newport Captains at 1:00 p.m. on the Lacrosse Turf.