ANNVILLE, Pa. – The No. 5 Messiah women's soccer team earned a 5-0 victory over the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen on Wednesday afternoon, scoring twice in the opening half to improve to 14-1-2 on the season. With the victory, Messiah moves to 6-1-0 in the MAC Commonwealth and are just a victory on Saturday away from locking up the top seed in next week's MAC Commonwealth Tournament.
 
Kayla Herr got the Falcons on the board in the 23rd minute with a penalty kick before Julia Martin doubled the lead in the 27th minute off a header. Martin connected again in the 65th minute for her first career multi-goal game. In the final 10 minutes, Kaitlyn Laird and Olivia Shuck scored the first goals of their career as the Falcons secured the 5-0 victory.
 
In the match, Messiah held Lebanon Valley to just two shots while taking 22 of their own. The Falcons sent 13 attempts on frame in the afternoon.
 
With Wednesday's victory the Falcons have claimed at least the second seed in next week's MAC Commonwealth Tournament. With a victory on Saturday against Widener, Messiah would clinch the top seed. The Falcons and Widener will square off at 1:00 p.m. in Chester, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 29.
 
Messiah's Close Calls
Over the course of the first 20 minutes of Wednesday's match, Messiah had a number of close calls to get on the board early. The Falcons were whistled offsides in both the 13th and 19th minutes. Both chances would have given the Falcons one-on-one looks against the keeper, but the tight calls went against Messiah.
 
The Falcons also had a ball find the back of the net, however prior to a slotted pass to the top of the six, the side referee ruled the ball out of play over the endline.
 
Penalty Kick Goal
In the 23rd minute, the Falcons might have earned a little favor when a penalty pick was award for Messiah when Rachel Tirjan went down in the box. The hometown Annville fans were not in complete agreement with the call, but Kayla Herr stepped up to the spot and deftly struck her shot into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead at the midpoint of the first half.
 
Julia Martin Scores Brace
In the 27th minute, Julia Martin found the back of the net for the first of two times in the match. Kenzie Spodnik sent a delivery toward the back post from the left side of the field. Martin was there for a ballooning header that snuck under the bar and inside the left post for a 2-0 Messiah lead.
 
The 2-0 lead held into the second half, until Martin scored again in the 65th minute. The Dutchmen attempted to clear a cross out of the box, but the ball trickled to the foot of Martin just outside the box on the right side. Martin stepped into the loose ball, going upper 90 on the right side with the left-footed strike for her first career multi-goal game.
 
First Career Goals
In the final 10 minutes, Messiah found the back of the net twice with Kaitlyn Laird and Olivia Shuck scoring in the 82nd and 88th minutes, respectively. Laird connected off a corner kick that was loose in the box, knocking it through a defender's legs and into the back of the net. Shuck then converted in the 88th minute. A run down the left side had Shuck one-on-one with the keeper and a well-placed shot inside the right post gave Messiah their fifth and final goal of the afternoon.
 
Both tallies were the first career scores for Laird and Shuck.
 
What's Up Next
On Saturday, Messiah will travel to Chester, Pa. to wrap-up the regular season. The Falcons will take on the Widener Pride at 1:00 p.m. With a victory, Messiah will lock up the top seed in next week's MAC Commonwealth Tournament.