WINCHESTER, Va. – The Messiah women's lacrosse dropped a tight, 9-8 contest against the Shenandoah Hornets on Saturday afternoon on the road. The Falcons fell into a 5-1 hole early in the second quarter, but rattled off half a dozen goals to take a 7-5 lead just after halftime. However, the Hornets finished the game on a 4-1 run in a low-scoring second-half to earn the 9-8 victory.
 
Hayley Lettinga led the Falcons with four goals while Katie Bukiewicz found the back of the cage twice. Mackenzie O'Haver made six saves between the pipes as the Falcons outshot the Hornets 29-23, forcing Shenandoah's goalies to make 14 saves.
 
The Falcons will return home on Saturday, Mar. 2 to take on St. Mary's College of Maryland at 2:00 p.m. on the Lacrosse Turf.
 
How It Happened
The Hornets struck first with a goal just over five minutes into the contest. Just moments later, Hayley Lettinga got the Falcons on the board off a feed from Annalise Keitel to level the contest at 1-1. Madison Re responded by scoring three of the next four goals as part of a 4-0 run for Shenandoah that lasted the remainder of the opening quarter and the first 90 seconds of the second.
 
Early in the second quarter, after Re's third goal of the afternoon, the Hornets held a 5-1 advantage. Messiah dominated the remainder of the half, scoring five-straight goals to take a 6-5 lead into the break.
 
Hayley Lettinga netted back-to-back scores to get the run started for the Falcons. Less than a minute after Lettinga's third goal of the game, Annalise Keitel found the twine to pull the Falcons within one at 5-4. Just after the midpoint of the quarter, Katie Bukiewicz found the scoreboard for the first time in her collegiate career and tied the game at 5-5. Just before the end of the half, Lettinga connected on her fourth score of the day and gave Messiah a one-goal lead as the game turned to halftime.
 
A free position goal for Hannah Gawne started the second half, just over two minutes into the third quarter. The free-position tally from Gawne gave Messiah a 7-5 lead.
 
With 8:49 remaining in the third quarter, Shenandoah's Amy Bell found the back of the cage to start a string of three-straight scores for the Hornets. The streak put the Hornets back in front, 8-7 with 6:20 left in the third.
 
Grace Pettit found Katie Bukiewicz for her second goal of the day with just 4:26 remaining in the third, leveling the score at 8-8 in the process.
 
With the scored tied heading to the fourth quarter, it looked like the back-and-forth battle would continue for the final 15 minutes. And while both sides had their chances in the final period, only one goal found the back of the net. Just 2:15 into the final quarter, Shenandoah's Amy Bell scored an unassisted tally to put the Hornets up 9-8. While the Falcons attempted four shots after the go-ahead score they were unable to find the equalizer and fell by one goal on the afternoon.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons will head home and take on the St. Mary's of Maryland Seahawks next Saturday at 2:00 p.m. on the Lacrosse Turf in Grantham. The Falcons and Seahawks met last season in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament with Messiah earning a 13-2 victory thanks to an eight-goal first quarter on May 13, 2023.