SALEM, Va. – The No. 5 Messiah women's soccer team saw the 2022 season come to a close on Friday afternoon in Salem, Va. at the hands of the No. 2 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. The Blue Jays scored twice in each half and while Rebecca Ritchie gave Messiah a shot of life late in the first half, cutting Johns Hopkins' lead to 2-1, it was not enough to overcome a persistent Blue Jays' attack.
 
Johns Hopkins outshot the Falcons 21-8 in the match, putting 11 of their attempts on frame against just two from the Falcons.
 
Rebecca Ritchie's goal in the 40th minute was her second tally of the season and fourth goal in NCAA Tournament play after scoring twice during the 2019 opening weekend.
 
The Falcons finish the season with an overall record of 20-2-3.
 
First Half Action
Messiah earned back-to-back corner kicks in the eighth minute. The first was punched away by the keeper for a second corner. On the second, it was Johns Hopkins getting a head on the delivery and Messiah was unable to get a shot off.
 
In the 14th minute, Johns Hopkins tested Ava Wert for the first time with a shot from Juliana Taxter from outside the box toward the left post requiring a diving save. Just a minute later, the Blue Jays had back-to-back chances with a cross into the box from the right side followed by a corner kick. While Johns Hopkins did not find the back of the net during those opportunities, their goal would come in the 18th minute.
 
From the right side, Lily Gaston lofted a cross into the middle of the box. In an attempt to clear, two Messiah defenders were unable to get a touch on the delivery. After a bounce, the ball was popped up and Breukelen Woodard was there for the header. Her strike found the back of the net for her fifth-straight goal in the NCAA Tournament and a 1-0 lead for the Blue Jays.
 
The Blue Jays nearly doubled their lead in the 33rd minute with Kaleigh Gallagher hammering a bouncing cross off the crossbar from eight yards out.
 
Just two minutes later, Messiah had their first quality chance of the match. In the 35th minute, Hannah Adair sent a low cross from the left that found the foot of Rebecca Ritchie. Her one-time strike sailed just wide of the post and the score remained 1-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the half.
 
Johns Hopkins doubled their lead on a corner kick in the 37th minute. From the right side, Katie Sullivan lofted a ball toward the back post where Rebecca Rosen elevated for an uncontested header that resulted in a 2-0 Johns Hopkins lead.
 
Messiah quickly responded with Rebecca Ritchie getting another moment from a similar spot on the field as a few minutes earlier. Bella Touzeau found some space down the left side thanks to a pass into space from Tahlia Lloyd. From there, Touzeau fought off a defender and sent a cross to a streaking Rebecca Ritchie. At the top of the six, Ritchie got her left foot on the delivery and knocked the feed past the keeper to get Messiah on the board and cut the Johns Hopkins lead in half at 2-1.
 
After the Half
Johns Hopkins controlled the pace of play for the first 20 minutes of the second half. The Blue Jays attempted the first six shots of the half, putting two on frame in the 51st and 55th minute, but Ava Wert saved both attempts to keep it a one-goal game.
 
In the 65th minute, Messiah had a chance with Bella Touzeau getting down the left side, but her shot went wide and while the Falcons were expecting a corner kick, the Blue Jays were awarded a goal kick.
 
In the 72nd minute, the Falcons were awarded the first corner kick of the half, but a delivery from Rachael Tirjan bounced through the box without an initial shot. Moments later, Shelby Burger sent a shot from distance, but it went right to the Johns Hopkins' keeper.
 
The Blue Jays continued to pressure with a shot from Rachel Jackson saved in the 73rd minute. However, insurance goals would come for the Blue Jays. In the 75th minute, Katie Sullivan sent in a corner kick that knocked off a Messiah defender and found the back of the net for a 3-1 Johns Hopkins' lead. That lead held for less than two minutes when the Blue Jays bumped their lead to 4-1. Kendall Dandridge ripped a shot off the crossbar and Rachel Jackson tapped in the rebound for the final tally of the afternoon.
 
Messiah attempted a pair of shots in the final minutes, but were unable to find the back of the net and saw their season come to a close with a 4-1 final score.
 
The four goals allowed are the most that Messiah has allowed in a single game since a 4-0 loss to Elmira on Oct. 6, 1997.
 
The Falcons finish the 2022 campaign with an overall record of 20-2-3, a MAC Commonwealth Championship, and a trip to the program's 14th Final Four.