GRANTHAM, Pa. – The top-seeded Messiah women's soccer team topped visiting No. 4 Albright College, 6-0, in the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals at Shoemaker Field on Thursday night. The Falcons used six different goal scorers in the win, outshooting the Lions by a total of 31-0.

Rachael Tirjan, Kayla Herr, Kristina Akselsen, Bella Touzeau, Thea Neimond, and Kylie Firestone all provided the tallies for the Falcons. 
 
With the win, Messiah improves its overall record to 15-2-1, and will host No. 3 York College (Pa.) this Saturday in the MAC Commonwealth Championship game.
 
The Falcons entered the semifinal matchup competing in their 23rd MAC postseason tournament with a chance to advance to their 21st conference championship game. The opening 15 minutes of play proved to be dominant for Messiah. The Falcons dominated possession, passing around the visiting Lions and creating an abundance of scoring opportunities. Messiah was unable to put away a goal despite three shots from Brianna Seip and a shot from Rachael Tirjan.
 
Messiah's dominant run of first-half possession gave way to a one-goal lead behind a left-footed strike from Kayla Herr. Herr's shot was at the top of the 18-yard box, ricocheting off the far post to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead with 24 minutes remaining in the first half.
 
Herr's third goal of the season continued the momentum that the Falcons built throughout the beginning phases of the first period of play. The Falcons ratted off three shots in the following five minutes, keeping the pressure heavy on the Albright defense.
 
Right before the halftime break, Messiah doubled its advantage to 2-0 behind a left-footed crack from Kylie Firestone. Korinne Kovatch played a ball to her left side at the top of the 18-yard box as Firestone fired home the pass to send the Falcons into the break with a two-goal edge. Messiah outshot Albright in the half, 14-0, with seven of the shots on target.
 
The Falcons began the second half with senior goalkeeper making her eighth appearance in net. It only took 1:46 into the second half for Messiah to record its third goal of the game behind a phenomenal individual effort from Kristina Akselsen. Akselsen contributed her fifth goal of the season with a left-footed, unassisted goal after blistering down the sideline past the Lions' defense.
 
The Messiah lead ballooned to 4-0 after a strike from Tirjan, firing a turnaround shot on the top of the six-yard box into the side netting of the frame. Seip was credited with the assist on the tally, the junior forward's third assist of the season. Bella Touzeau got herself on the scoresheet with her third goal of the season, a left-footed curling effort that knicked the bottom of the crossbar on the way in. The goal stemmed from a free kick on the side of the 18-yard box as the Falcons took a commanding five-goal lead with only 26 minutes remaining in the postseason contest.
 
Messiah prevailed, 6-0, scoring its sixth goal of the contest on a corner kick that was tapped in by Thea Neimond from a flick-on header from Michaela Elliot, the sophomore defender's fourth goal of the season. The Falcons controlled the run of play throughout the whole run of play, outshooting Albright, 32-0, as 19 of the shots were on frame.
 
What's Up Next
Messiah (15-2-1, 8-0 MAC Commonwealth) advances to its 21st MAC conference championship game. The No. 1 Falcons will host the No. 3 York College (Pa.) Spartans this Saturday, Nov. 6, at 12:00 p.m. with the conference crown on the line.