READING, Pa. – The No. 25 Messiah Women's Lacrosse team traveled to Albright College to take on the Lions for a 1:00 p.m. game. Grace Pettitt led the Falcons with seven points on three goals and four assists while Jordan Lewicki added four goals. Hayley Lettinga, Katie Bukiewicz, and Hannah Gawne each score three goals.

The Falcons return to action on Wednesday, April 16 when they travel to Salisbury University. Action begins at 5:00 p.m. against the Sea Gulls.

First Quarter
Katie Bukiewicz earned the opening draw control for Messiah and Hannah Gawne was quick to fire a shot on goal. The Lions goalie was able to make the save, but Grace Pettitt came up with the ground ball and found the back of the net for the first goal of the game just over a minute into play. After Gawne won the draw control, Jordan Lewicki looked to extend the Messiah lead with a quick shot, but the Alvernia goalie again made the save. Gawne found the back of the net with 12:22 remaining to give Messiah the 2-0 lead. The Lions failed to convert a free position shot and Messiah recovered the ball. After a pair of shots for the Falcons, Messiah earned their first free position attempt of the game which resulted in a free position goal for Jordan Lewicki to extend the lead to 3-0. Annalise Keitel fired a shot off the cross bar before the teams traded possession and the Falcons recovered a ground ball with Annalise Keitel finding Alina Bernal-Clark for the goal. Play for the next three minutes was back-and-forth before Albright fired a shot high then wide. With 49 seconds on the clock, the Lions fired a shot that was saved by Grace Hejeebu. The Lions were able to recover the ball and fire a second chance shot into the back of the net to bring the score to 4-1. Messiah was quick to answer when Jordan Lewicki recovered the draw control and fired a shot into the back of the net to take a 5-1 lead heading into the second quarter.

Second Quarter
Messiah continued their momentum from the first quarter with a goal two minutes into the second quarter when Grace Pettitt found Alina Bernal-Clark. It was less than a minute later when Pettitt found Annalise Keitel for a goal. It was only 46 seconds later when the Falcons added another as Hayley Lettinga notched a goal to bring the Messiah lead to 8-1. After a shot from Lettinga was saved, Messiah earned a free position attempt that was converted to a free position goal by Lettinga at the 10:07 mark. After a failed offensive possession for Albright, the teams combined for four goals in just over a minute and a half with Annalise Keitel finding the back of the net for the 10-1 lead to start the scoring run. Albright was quick to answer to bring the score to 10-2 just 43 seconds later. Another 41 seconds ticked off the clock as Brynn Johnsen found the back of the net for Messiah. Albright earned the draw control and quick goal just nine seconds later as the score came to 11-3 in favor of the Falcons. Kendall Bayley fired a free position shot on goal but the Lions' goalie was able to make the save. Following an Albright turnover, Hannah Gawne found the back of the net. After a shot on goal for Jordan Lewicki was saved, Albright struck for their fourth goal, bringing the Messiah lead to 12-4. The Falcons added two goals in the next minute with Grace Pettitt finding Katie Bukiewicz and then Bukiewicz finding Hayley Lettinga to bring the Falcons' lead to 14-4. Albright scored with 28 seconds remaining in the half to bring the score to 14-5 heading into the break.

Third Quarter
Grace Pettitt started the scoring in the second half with a goal two minutes into play. Just over a minute later, Pettitt connected with Katie Bukiewicz for the Falcons' 16th goal of the game. Jordan Lewicki then added a pair of goals to bring the score to 18-5 in favor of Messiah with 7:52 remaining in the quarter. The remainder of the quarter was back-and-forth with Messiah firing two shots on goal from Brynn Johnsen and Abby Welchans.

Fourth Quarter
It was again the Falcons to strike first on offensive as Grace Pettitt found the back of the goal a minute into the final quarter. Three minutes later Katie Bukiewicz notched a goal for Messiah to bring the score to 20-5. Hayley Lettinga earned the draw control and Kayle Arnold connected with Hannah Gawne for a Messiah goal. Emma Hagg earned the draw control and began another offensive possession for Messiah. Arnold found Abby Welchans with 6:27 remaining. Lettinga and Kendall Bayley each fired shots off but it was Dani Sauder who connected with the back of the net with 1:15 remaining to bring the score to 23-5 in favor of Messiah, a score that would stand as the final result.

Stats
Grace Pettitt led the Falcons with seven points on three goals and four assists while Jordan Lewicki added four goals. Hayley Lettinga, Katie Bukiewicz, and Hannah Gawne each score three goals. Gawne led all players with nine draw controls while Bukiewicz added six. Jordan Lewicki had four ground balls and Emma Hagg added three ground balls. Grace Hejeebu made one save in goal for the Falcons.

Up Next
The Falcons return to action on Wednesday, April 16 when they travel to Salisbury University. Action begins at 5:00 p.m. against the Sea Gulls.