GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No.15 Messiah women's lacrosse team played its 2022 MAC Commonwealth opening game on Wednesday afternoon, besting visiting Albright College, 16-6, at the Lacrosse Turf. Abigail Evans and Rached Delate each recorded four goals as Grace Gormley added three goals.
 
Evans' impressive offensive performance of four goals tied a career-high mark from April 2019 when the attacker scored four goals against Hood College.
 
The win improves Messiah's overall record to 6-3, improving to 1-0 in MAC Commonwealth play.
 
It only took 24 seconds of game play for the Falcons to take control of the game, jumping out to a 1-0 lead behind Delate's 26th tally of the season. Delate doubled her goals total at the 14:03 mark, assisting the Falcons' third goal of the game when Abigail Evans scored just 1:58 into the contest. Messiah was all over Albright, leading the Lions by three goals in the opening two minutes.
 
The Falcons cruised through the first quarter, leading Albright 9-1. In the dominant quarter, four Falcons turned in multi-goal performances as Delate, Evans, Ehryn Groothoff, and Emma Lytle all recorded two goals each. Grace Gormley added the additional tally on a phenomenal individualistic goal, driving to the right side of the cage and finding the bottom corner.
 
Messiah shut out the Lions in the second quarter, growing its lead to 12-1 heading into halftime. Jessie Wynne added her name to the score sheet, scoring her third goal of the season at the 13:13 mark. The Falcons outshot Albright, 20-5, causing eight turnovers. Mackenzie O'Haver recorded two saves in the cage as Messiah entered the second half with a commanding 11-goal lead.
 
Albright opened the scoring in the second half as Lauren China scored her second goal of the game 3:01 into the third quarter. The Lions continued their momentum, adding their second and third goals at the 2:17 and 0:35 marks of the period. Albright ultimately outscored the Falcons in the quarter, 3-0, to reduce Messiah's lead to eight goals (12-4) heading into the final quarter of play.
 
The Falcons got back on track early in the third quarter when Amanda Wadsworth found Gormley for her third goal of the contest just 1:28 into the period. Delate added her fourth goal of the game just one minute later, giving the Falcons a 14-4 lead. Each side scored two goals the rest of the way as Evans added her third and fourth goals of the game at the 6:48 and 3:39 marks, respectively. The Falcons prevailed in their conference-opener over Albright, 16-6.
 
Messiah outshot the Lions, 34-16. Both Groothoff and Lytle each recorded multi-goal, scoring two goals each for the Falcons.
 
What's Next
No. 14 Messiah clashes with Christopher Newport University at home this Saturday, Apr. 2, at 12:00 p.m.