GRANTHAM, PA - The Messiah women's field hockey team opened up their conference slate with a win against the Hood College Blazers by a score of 6-1. Ashlyn Smith scored two goals and assisted on a third to help lead the Falcons' offense to victory on the night.

The Falcons will play again on Saturday, September 24 when they play Albright at 5:00 p.m. That game will be held in Reading, Pa.

Action
The Blazers struck early and took a 1-0 lead in the first quarter. That is significant because that was the first ever goal Hood has scored against Messiah in nine games. Messiah had outscored Hood 82-0 coming into the game. That lead was short lived though, as the Falcons quickly answered with five consecutive goals to lead 5-1 at the break.

Seubert scored on a penalty stroke to even the score before Ashlyn Smith gave the Falcons the lead 2-1 at the end of the first quarter. Smith tacked on another goal, her sixth of the season making the score 3-1. Goals by Malcolm and Heltzel gave the Falcons a 5-1 lead at halftime. 

Smith's seventh goal of the season came via a penalty stroke to make the score 6-1 heading into the fourth quarter. The score would stay that way as the Falcons picked up their fifth win of the season.

Stats
Other than that opening shot and goal by Hood, Messiah proceeded to outshoot Hood 36-1 on the night. Messiah also had 13 penalty corners to Hood's one. Ashlyn Smith recorded three goals on the night giving her seven on the year. Seubert and Malcolm each picked up their third goals of the year while Heltzel scored her first of the season in the game.

Next
The win brings the Falcons record to 5-2 and 1-0 in the conference. They will travel to Reading, Pa to take on Albright on September 24 at 5:00 PM.