GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Messiah University field hockey team advanced to its 22nd straight MAC Commonwealth Championship game with a 6-1 win over Stevenson. After trailing 1-0 after the first quarter, the Falcons offense woke up in the second quarter with two goals in the 16th and 19th minute from Hailey Womer. Carrie Bair added a tip-in goal from Anna Koenig to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead at the half. Jenna Lutz and Nicole Shank each added a goal in the third quarter to increase the lead to 5-1. Leah Bryner added a fourth quarter goal to push the final score to 6-1. Catie Brubaker earned the win in goal for the Falcons.
 
Up next, the Falcons host the second-seeded Spartans of York on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1:00 p.m. The Falcons and Spartans met on Oct. 28, with Messiah winning 2-0.
 
First Quarter
The Falcons offense looked for an early goal with a penalty corner opportunity. Jenna Lutz sent the ball to the top the circle to Nicole Shank. Shank ripped a shot, but the shot was saved to keep the game scoreless. In the 10th minute, the Mustangs looked for a chance to take the lead with a penalty corner opportunity. Emma Gladstein sent the ball into play and Monica Druckemiller sent a shot pass that was tipped by Meghan Huey to give the Mustangs an early 1-0 lead.
 
Second Quarter
After being held scoreless the entire first quarter, the Falcons did not waste any time in the second quarter getting the offense rolling. After Mallory Kline forced a Stevenson turnover, Carrie Bair dribbled the ball towards the top of the circle and sent a pass to Hailey Womer inside the circle. Womer gathered the ball and ripped a shot into the bottom-left corner on the net to tie the game at one. The Falcons looked to add another in the 19th minute. After a foul by the Mustangs, Teagan Murrie got the ball just past the 25-yard line. Murrie sent a long pass that found its way through the circle to Hailey Womer, who tapped the ball into the back of the goal to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead. The Falcons' second quarter flurry was not finished as they looked to add to their lead in the 26th minute with a penalty corner opportunity. Jenna Lutz sent the ball into play after a few passes, the ball found Anna Koenig's stick. Koenig sent a pass to Carrie Bair in front of the net and Bair tapped the ball past the Stevenson goalkeeper to push the Falcons lead to 3-1 at the half.
 
Third Quarter
The Falcons offense continued to put pressure on the Mustangs' defense. In the 32nd minute, off a penalty corner opportunity, Madi Johnson ripped a shot that was saved, but off the rebound Jenna Lutz tapped the ball into the back of an empty goal to give the Falcons a 4-1 lead. The Falcons took advantage of another penalty corner opportunity in the 40th minute. Tegan Murrie sent the ball into play to Ellie Lefever. Lefever quickly passed it to Nicole Shank and Shank ripped a shot that deflected off a defenders stick and into the back of the net to extend the Falcons lead to four.
 
Fourth Quarter
In the 53rd minute the Falcons added to their lead with a Leah Bryner goal from Anna Koenig to put the final score at 6-1. After the Stevenson goal, the Falcons defense locked down Stevenson with zero shots allowed.
 
Stats
Hailey Womer led the Falcons offense with two goals on the night. Carrie Bair, Jenna Lutz, Nicole Shank, and Leah Bryner each added goals. Anna Koenig tallied two assists and Ellie Lefever and Teagan Murrie each added an assist. The Falcons outshot the Mustangs 20-1. Messiah had 16 shots on goal to Stevenson's one. The Falcons earned 19 penalty corners and the Mustangs earned two. Catie Brubaker earned the win in goal for the Falcons.
 
Next
The Falcons host the second-seeded Spartans of York on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1:00 p.m. The Falcons and Spartans met on Oct. 28, with Messiah winning 2-0.