GRANTHAM, Pa. - The No. 6 Messiah women's soccer team cruised to a 7-0 victory over the Albright Lions on Saturday night with three different Falcons scoring multiple goals. Rachael Tirjan, Brianna Seip, and Kylie Firestone all scored twice for the Falcons in the blowout victory while Maddie Hughes connected in the 42nd minute to account for Messiah's scoring in the match. The Falcons built a 5-0 lead at the half and added a sixth goal in the opening minute of the second en route to the runaway victory.
 
The seven goals match a season high for the Falcons, tying their 7-0 victory over the Salisbury Sea Gulls on Oct. 1.
 
Messiah held a tremendous advantage in possession and shots, out shooting the Lions 24-1 in the contest.
 
With the victory, Messiah improves to 13-1-2 on the season and 5-1-0 in the MAC Commonwealth. The Falcons will be back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Annville to take on Lebanon Valley at 3:30 p.m. in a conference contest.
 
Building a Lead
The Falcons scored their first tally of the night in the 10th minute off the foot of Rachael Tirjan. Off a failed clearance from the Lions, Tirjan found the ball at her foot at the top of the box. With space, Tirjan ripped a shot that looked to be saved initially, but the driven shot tricked through the keeper's hands and across the goal line.
 
Brianna Seip then scored back-to-back goals in the 14th and 16th minutes. The first came off a long ball from Thea Neimond that found Julia Martin at the end line. Martin sent a low center feed to Seip at the goal mouth. Seip tapped it home and Messiah led 2-0. Less than two minutes later, Seip was at it again. This time, connecting off a feed from the midfield. Seip took a beautiful turn and dribbled around the keeper for Messiah's third goal and her ninth of the season.
 
Kylie Firestone got in on the act in the 19th minute. Kenzie Spodnik sent a hard cross into the middle of the box for Firestone. With traffic around her, Firestone knocked the left-footed finished past a diving goalie for the 4-0 lead.
 
With less than five minutes remaining in the opening half, Maddie Hughes scored her first goal of the season with a back-heel finish from the middle of the box. Hughes took a curling feed from Tahlia Lloyd in box and flicked the shot inside the left post for a 5-0 lead. Messiah took that five-goal lead into the break.
 
Expanding the Advantage
Messiah quickly expanded their lead in the 46th minute with Korinne Kovatch finding the foot of Kylie Firestone for her second tally of the match. Firestone's left-footed shot knocked off the left post and nestled into the back of the net for the 6-0 lead.
 
Rachael Tirjan capped off the scoring in the 53rd minute with a left-footed strike from the top right-side of the box for Messiah's seventh and final goal. Tirjan's shot snuck under the bar as Messiah went on for the comfortable victory.
 
What's Up Next
With the victory, Messiah improves to 13-1-2 on the season and 5-1-0 in the MAC Commonwealth. The Falcons will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen on the road at 3:30 p.m.