GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No. 3 Messiah women's soccer team opened the 2023 season with a 3-0 victory over the Puget Sound Loggers on Friday evening. The Falcons scored once in the first half on a Tahlia Lloyd tally before fantastic individual efforts from Julia Martin and Kaitlyn Laird resulted in two second-half scores.
 
In the game, Messiah outshot the Loggers 10-6 while putting five shots on frame against just three from Puget Sound.
 
Messiah will be back in action tomorrow evening when they host the Stevens Ducks at 7:30 p.m. on Shoemaker Field.
 
Opening Half Action
The Falcons were on the front foot throughout much of the opening half, turning in multiple quality looks. The first came in the 12th minute when Messiah earned one of their two corner kicks in the half. A perfect delivery from Bella Touzeau found the head of Mia Libby in the middle of the box. Libby arched a header to the right post beyond the dive the Loggers' keeper. The shot looked destined for the back of the net, but a Logger defender was stationed perfectly on the post to clear the ball off the line.
 
In the 26th minute, Julia Martin carried a ball to the end line and slotted a pass back into the box for Brittany Laird, who was in on the keeper. Without much of an angle, Laird tried to tuck a shot inside the right post, but rattled her shot off the crossbar.
 
Three minutes later, the Falcons would find their first-half moment. In the 29th minute, Tahlia Lloyd played a pass to the left sideline for Bella Touzeau. After a touch, Touzeau slipped a pass to Kierstyn Fogle at the top of the box. Fogle then dropped off possession to Lloyd, who made a run through the middle of the field. From outside the box, Lloyd lofted a shot over the keeper and inside the right post for a 1-0 Messiah lead.
 
Strong Individual Efforts
Julia Martin and Kaitlyn Laird highlighted the second-half with phenomenal individual efforts to put two more goals on the board for the Falcons. First it was Martin, carrying possession down the right side in the 54th minute. She split defenders and worked her way into the box on the right side. After getting in on the keeper, Martin dribbled right, getting around the keeper and deftly slotting a shot into an open net for a 2-0 Messiah lead.
 
Then in the 71st minute, the Falcons stuck again. This time with Kaitlyn Laird ripping a right-footed shot from 30 yards out. Laird took a pass from Kierstyn Fogle and unleashed a high-arching shot that tucked into the upper right corner of the goal mouth for a 3-0 advantage. That is all the Falcons would need as they clinched the 3-0 victory over the Loggers to begin the 2023 campaign.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons will have a quick turnaround as they host the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m. on Shoemaker Field as they wrap up their opening weekend at home. The Ducks suffered a 5-0 setback against Washington & Lee on Friday evening right before Messiah's season opener.