GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Messiah women's basketball team came away with a 65-49 win over the Widener Pride Thursday night inside Hitchcock Arena to move to 7-0 on the season. The Falcons played phenomenal defense, forcing 25 turnovers and recording 15 steals. Messiah has double-digit steals in every game this season, with 94 total to lead the MAC Commonwealth.

Eleana Eckley and Jayneisha Davis led the way for the Falcons offensively with 18 and 11 points, respectively. All 10 Falcons that played tonight scored, as Messiah dished out 14 assists as a team. These two teams will meet once again tomorrow night in Chester, Pa. as the Falcons travel to Widener for a 7:00 p.m. tip.

Back and Forth First Half
The battle of undefeated MAC Commonwealth foes began with both teams trading buckets early in the contest. The Falcons held a slight 10-7 advantage with 3:43 to play in the first quarter. It was 13-9 with just 2:15 to play before Messiah used an Eleana Eckley trey to produce a 5-2 run to end the quarter up 18-11.
 
The second quarter saw the Pride seize the momentum of the contest, using a 10-4 run to cut the lead to just one at 22-21. Erin Phelan and Jordan D'Ambrosio led the way with three points apiece during the flurry. The two teams would continue to go back and forth, with the Pride taking a brief 25-24 lead off the strength of a Gianna Samuels jumper before a Madison Eich three pointer put the Falcons back ahead 27-25.
 
Messiah would continue to cling to a 31-27 lead late in the quarter before finding some fireworks at the end of the half. Faith Grula picked up a layup to make it 33-27 before Sidney Stutzman hit a back-breaking three to send it into the break with Messiah leading 36-27.
 
Falcons Control Second Half
Messiah came out of the locker room playing steadily. The Pride were not able to replicate their first half performance, only cutting the Falcons lead to nine in the third quarter. Eckley led the way for Messiah in the period with six points, as Messiah took a 49-35 lead into the final quarter.
 
It was more of the same in the final period, with the Falcons continuing to bring the pressure defensively. They forced five turnovers in the fourth quarter, as Widener shot just 27.3% from the field in the contest. Messiah led by as many as 20 in the quarter as they came away with a convincing 65-49 win over the previously undefeated Pride.
 
Inside The Box Score
As mentioned, every Falcon that saw the floor tonight scored, with Eckley and Davis the lone players in double-digits. Leah Springer had a game-high 10 rebounds, while also recording a game-high five steals.
 
On the defensive end, Messiah has allowed less than 50 points in every game this season except for one where Alvernia scored 52. As mentioned, they have had 11 or more steals in every game this season.
 
What's Up Next
Messiah will see the Pride once again tomorrow night when they travel to Widener for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff, looking to move to 8-0 on the season.