GRANTHAM, Pa. – On Saturday afternoon, the Messiah University women's basketball team defeated the Golden Flyers of Nazareth University, 87-81 in an overtime thriller, to win the Messiah Tip-Off Tournament. The Falcons opened the game with a 15-13 lead in a tightly played first quarter. The Golden Flyers then outscored the Falcons by two in the second to put the score at 29-29 at the half. The Falcons outscored the Golden Flyers by four in the third to take a 51-47 lead entering the final quarter. The Golden Flyers battled in the fourth and ended the game with a 10-1 run to tie the game at 71 to force overtime. The Falcons jumped in front of the Golden Flyers to start overtime and never surrendered the lead to earn the 87-81 win. Liv Monturo earned the Messiah Tip-Off Tournament MVP after leading the Falcons with 31 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks, and three steals. All-Tournament team honoree, Charlotte Milanesi totaled 16 points, five assists, and four steals. Ainsley Bell added 13 points and six rebounds, and Hope Cook totaled 12 points and four assists.
 
Up next, the Falcons travel to Carlisle, Pa. to take on the Red Devils of Dickinson College on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m.

First Quarter
After the Golden Flyers opened the first four minutes with a 6-2 run, the Falcons went on an 8-2 run to take a 10-8 lead with just under two minutes remaining in the first. Charlotte Milanesi started the run with a jumper and Marisa Amitie ended the run with a basket. Both teams scored five points to close out the first quarter, with EmmyFaith Wood capping the first off with a three to give the Falcons a 15-13 lead.
 
Second Quarter
The two teams opened the second, trading baskets with Liv Monturo scoring all four points for the Falcons during the stretch. After a Golden Flyers' basket, the Falcons rattled off an 8-0 run to push the Falcons lead to 27-19 with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter. Hope Cook led the Falcons during the run with six points on two threes. The Golden Flyers then took control of the remained of the second with a 10-2 run to tie the game at 29 entering the break.
 
Third Quarter
After Nazareth started the third with a basket, the Falcons rattled off a quick 6-0 run to take a 35-31 lead with just under seven minutes remaining in the third. Liv Monturo led the Falcons during the run with four points and Charlotte Milanesi added a basket. The two teams then spent the next four minutes trading baskets with Hope Cook draining a three and Ainsley Bell and April Kauffeldt adding a basket each to keep the Falcons lead at three. The two teams continued to go back-and-forth to end the third, and the Falcons took a 51-47 lead into the final quarter. Liv Monturo led the Falcons during the final stretch with four points.
 
Fourth Quarter
The Falcons opened the fourth strong outscoring the Golden Flyer 7-4 to take a seven-point lead with seven minutes remaining in the game. Liv Monturo led the Falcons during the stretch with five points. In the next two minutes, the two teams traded baskets with Monturo scoring four points and Brooke Fenchel adding a basket to keep the Falcons lead at seven midway through the fourth. The Falcons then outscored Nazareth 8-6 to extend the Falcons lead to nine with 2:30 remaining in the game. Ainsley Bell and Charlotte Milanesi led the Falcons during the stretch with a three each. The Golden Flyers though were not going down without a fight and went on a 10-1 run to tie the game at 71 and send it to overtime.  
 
Overtime
The Falcons opened the first minute and a half of overtime strong with a quick 5-2 run to take a 76-73 lead with 2:45 remaining in overtime. Ainsley Bell started the run with a jumper and Hope Cook ended the run with a free throw. The two teams kept battling with traded baskets to keep the Falcons up by four with 53 seconds remaining in the game. The Falcons were clutch at the free throw line the rest of the way with Hope Cook making a pair of free throws and Ainsley Bell ending the game with four-straight free throws to give the Falcons the hard fought 87-81 win.  
 
Stats
Liv Monturo earned the Messiah Tip-Off Tournament MVP after leading the Falcons with 31 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks, and three steals. All-Tournament team honoree, Charlotte Milanesi totaled 16 points, five assists, and four steals. Ainsley Bell added 13 points and six rebounds, and Hope Cook totaled 12 points and four assists. The Falcons shot 43.5 percent from the field and 37.5 from behind the arc. The Golden Flyers shot 48.5 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from three. In a wild back-and-forth battle the two teams were tied eight different times and had six lead changes.
 
Next
The Falcons travel to Carlisle, Pa. to take on the Red Devils of Dickinson College on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m.