GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No. 9 Messiah field hockey team claimed its seventh-straight win on Wednesday night, topping visiting Stevenson University by a score of 5-1. The Falcons used four different goal scorers in the victory, including first-career goals from Liz Ong and Jenna Lutz.
 
Kate Dickow scored the contest's first two goals in the first quarter, the junior midfielder's second and third goals of the season. Teagan Murrie added her eighth tally of the season during the third quarter as senior defender Isabel Villegas notched her third defensive save of the year in the final seconds of the period.
 
Lilly Coln made her first-career start in the cage for the Falcons, earning the win behind a four-save performance.
 
The opening five minutes were eventful as the Falcons got off to a fast start. Dickow, completing an unassisted effort, gave Messiah an early 1-0 edge not even two minutes into the game. The goal occurred at the 13:26 mark as the junior midfielder scored her second tally of the season. Coln made a key play not even a minute later when the Mustangs' Kaitlin Karns had a breakaway opportunity. With a clean breakaway and clear of any Messiah defenders, Karns' shot went wide as Coln cut down the angle in her first-career game in cage. The Falcons doubled their advantage halfway through the opening period of play when Dickow contributed her second goal of the game, receiving a pass from Jennie Young in front of net to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
The Falcons kept most of the play in their offensive third of the field in the second quarter. By applying persistent pressure from the midfield, Messiah's hard work paid off when Ong had a phenomenal individual play. Intercepting a pass in the midfield, the freshman midfielder dribbled to the shooting circle and fired a shot home to increase the lead to 3-0. The goal was her first as a Falcon, following her first recorded shot as a collegiate player.
 
Leading at the break, 3-0, Messiah outshot Stevenson 12-2. The Falcons picked up right where they left off as Murrie added the fourth goal of the game at the 12:17 mark to extend the lead to 4-0. Later in the quarter, the Mustangs tallied a goal to cut the deficit, but Messiah led entering the final period of play, 4-1. In the final 20 seconds of the third quarter, Villegas and Coln each contributed key defensive plays to keep Stevenson from trimming its deficit to just two goals. Villegas raised her stick high on the goal line to keep a shot out of the cage, her team-high third defensive save of the season as Coln highlighted her goalkeeper dubut with a strong kick save.
 
Messiah outshot the Mustangs in the fourth quarter, 5-4, and outscored the visitors 1-0. Lutz tallied her first-career goal with just 9:27 remaining as the Falcons prevailed, 5-1.
 
The win improves Messiah's record to 14-2 (8-0 MAC Commonwealth). With the win, the Falcons clinch a perfect conference record for the sixth-consecutive season.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons will travel to Geneva, N. Y., on Saturday to square off with William Smith College in the regular season finale at 12:00 p.m.