CHESTER, Pa. – The No. 8 Messiah field hockey team edged Widener in a thrilling double-overtime decision on the road on Saturday afternoon, topping the Pride, 3-2. Junior defender Lauren Seubert tallied the game-winning goal, a penalty stroke effort 72 minutes into the contest. The game-winning goal was Seubert's second penalty stroke goal of the game, also converting from the penalty spot during the second quarter for the game's first goal.
 
Nicole Shank also contributed a tally during the third quarter to increase her scoring streak to three games. Goalkeeper Catie Brubaker recorded three saves in cage, earning her 13th win of the season.
 
The opening quarter of play was scoreless between the two sides. The Falcons outshot the Pride in the period, 4-1, as Makayla Malcolm's effort at the 6:49 was saved by Kylie Haberstroh.
 
Seubert broke the deadlock just under nine minutes into the second quarter, converting a penalty stroke opportunity to give the Falcons a 1-0 edge. The tally was Seubert's second goal of the season, as Messiah held onto its one-goal advantage heading into the break. The Falcons had the shot advantage over Widener in the first half, recording eight shots to the Pride's three attempts.
 
Messiah struck first in the second half, doubling its advantage to 2-0 after Shank converted a penalty corner opportunity. Shank, scoring her fourth goal of the season, received a pass from the end line from Madi Johnson to give the Falcons a two-goal lead. The Pride responded five minutes later, cutting their deficit to 2-1 with a goal from Jesse Schlosser. The remaining six minutes of the third quarter proved to be scoreless as the Falcons entered the final period a play with a one-goal edge (2-1).
 
The beginning portion of the fourth quarter was end-to-end action before Widener notched the equalizing tally with just 5:28 remaining in the game. Knotted up at 2-2, the Falcons earned three penalty corner opportunities in the closing 2:24 of regulation, but the Pride defense was formidable, not allowing a game-winning goal to sneak in. After two shots from Allie Mast were blocked and went wide, the two sides were level at the end of regulation, entering a decisive overtime period.
 
Widener, looking for its fifth conference win of the season, outshot the Falcons in the opening scoreless overtime period, 4-2. Both Brubaker and Haberstroh recorded two saves in the period to keep their respective sides in the game.
 
It only took 2:12 into the second period of overtime for the Falcons' to earn their pivotal penalty stroke opportunity. Upon earning the chance, Seubert was substituted back into contest to attempt to clinch the victory for Messiah. The junior defender converted for the second time of the day from the spot, pushing the Falcons to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Pride, extending their winning streak to six games.
 
Seubert, the reigning MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week, recorded her first multi-goal game of her career in the Messiah victory.
 
What's Up Next
The victory improves Messiah's overall record to 13-2 (7-0 MAC Commonwealth) as it will conclude its regular season schedule this Wednesday, Oct. 27th, hosting Stevenson University for a 7:00 p.m. contest.