GRANTHAM, Pa. – By way of a 3-0, shutout victory over the fourth-seeded Eastern Eagles, the top-seeded Messiah women's soccer team will play in their 23rd-striaght MAC Commonwealth Championship Game. Hannah Adair got the Falcons started in the opening half, before second-half tallies from Bella Touzeau and Mia Libby lifted the Falcons to the 3-0 victory.
 
The Falcons dominated possession, attempting 31 shots in the match while holding the Eagles to a single, off-target shot in the 87th minute. Eastern's keeper, Faith Leake kept the Eagles in the match, making 11 saves on the night, including numerous diving attempts on Messiah shots that looked destined for the twine.
 
With the victory, Messiah advances to play the York Spartans for the third-straight season in the MAC Commonwealth Championship Game. The second-seeded Spartans earned a 2-0 victory over the third-seeded Widener Pride in the other Semifinal on Tuesday. Saturday afternoon's match will be played on Shoemaker Field with the start time determined in the coming days. The Falcons will be looking for their 20th Conference Championship in program history.
 
Adair's Moment
The Falcons got on the board in the 24th minute with Hannah Adair's ninth goal of the season and her seventh in as many games. Kaitlyn Laird started the play by collecting a pass from the midfield at the top of the box with her back to goal. A slipped pass to her right found Adair before a nifty touch got Adair behind the defensive line and in on goal. With the ball on her right foot, Adair tucked a shot inside the netting on the right side, eluding the diving keeper.
 
Second-Half Insurance
Messiah threatened for another goal late in the first half with shots saved by Kristina Akselsen in the 38th minute and Kierstyn Fogle in the the 42nd minute. Despite the saves, Messiah held a 1-0 lead at the break.
 
In the middle of the second half, Messiah netted a pair of goals in a six-minute span with scores from Bella Touzeau and Mia Libby. In the 66th minute, Bella Touzeau made it a two-goal Messiah lead off a feed from Thea Neimond. A pass forward from Neimond found Touzeau just above the box on the left side. Touzeau took a left-footed touch and turned quickly for a right-footed rip that beat the keeper high for a 2-0 Messiah lead.
 
Almost exactly six minutes later, the Falcons were at it again with Mia Libby redirecting a cross into the side netting. Lydia Ring got the play going by holding possession into the right corner. A centering cross toward the top of the six found the foot of Libby on the front post. Libby got just enough on the feed to steer it inside the left post and into the side netting for Messiah's third goal of the evening.
 
The Eagles attempted their lone shot of the match in the 87th minute, but it sailed well wide as the Falcons close out a 3-0 victory to move into Saturday's MAC Commonwealth Championship Game.
 
Championship Game Bound
With the victory, Messiah improves to 16-2-0 on the season and will take on the York Spartans in the MAC Commonwealth Championship Game on Shoemaker Field at a time to be determined. York defeated the Widener Pride 2-0 in the other semifinal match on Tuesday night.
 
The Falcons and Spartans have met in the Conference Championship Game in each of the last two season. Messiah has claimed both meetings, earning a 3-0 victory in 2021 and a 2-0 win in 2022. In the 2022 Championship Game, Lydia Ring and Hannah Adair were the goal scorers for the Falcons.