GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No. 2 Messiah women's soccer team dominated visiting Salisbury University, 7-0, at Shoemaker Field on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons used five different goal scorers to cruise to the seven-goal victory, highlighted by two-goal performances from Kylie Firestone and Rachel Tirjan. Brianna Seip, Korinne Kovatch, and Kayla Herr also contributed tallies in the win.
 
The victory lifts Messiah's overall record to 8-0-2 ahead of its upcoming MAC Commonwealth schedule.
 
The Falcons applied pressure early to the visiting seagulls. Brianna Seip recorded Messiah's first shot of the game, darting to the endline and firing a shot with a tight angle into the goalkeeper's hands. Messiah continued its pressure, winning a penalty at the 34:52 mark. Herr stepped up to the spot, rifling her shot to the bottom right of the frame to put the Falcons ahead, 1-0.
 
Messiah doubled its advantage just minutes later when Tirjan converted a right-footed shot from a cross from Seip. The tally was Tirjan's fifth of the year.
 
The Falcons continued to pour it on in the remainder of the first half. Messiah notched three more goals to increase its lead to a commanding five-goal advantage. The goal contributors were Seip, Kylie Firestone, and Korinne Kovatch. Firestone rifled a firecracker into the roof of the net, striking a left-footed shot from a great pass from Tirjan. The senior midfielder's goal was the Falcons' fourth of the game, soon extending their lead to five goals following a header from Kovatch.
 
At the break, Messiah led, 5-0. The Falcons outshot the Seagulls in the half, 13-1, forcing four saves from the Salisbury goalkeeper. Messiah goalkeeper Ava Wert made one save in the half.
 
Messiah continued its offensive success in the second half, scoring just 1:46 into the period. Firestone tallied an unassisted effort to lift the Falcons to a six-goal lead, her second goal of the game and third of the season. Tirjan also notched her second goal of the game just minutes later, beating the Salisbury goalkeeper with a shot to the low left corner of the frame.
 
The Falcons held the Seagulls at bay for the remainder of the game, holding the visitors to just three shots in the half. In total, Messiah outshot Salisbury 19-4.
 
What's Next
The Falcons host Stevenson University this Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Shoemaker Field at 7:00 p.m.