ERIE, Pa. – On Saturday afternoon, the eighth-ranked Messiah University women's soccer team opened the 2025 season with a 3-0 win over the Lions of Penn St. Behrend. The Falcons started the game strong with a goal from
Mia Libby in the 11th minute to take an early 1-0 lead. The Falcons had their chances to add to their lead in the first half, but the Lions' goalkeeper made a couple of saves and the score remained 1-0 at the half. The Falcons pushed their lead to two in the 49th minute with a
Hannah Adair goal. The Falcons added another tally in the 66th minute with a goal from
Brittany Laird to give the Falcons the 3-0 win.
Up next, the Falcons take on the Cardinals of Otterbein University at Penn St. Behrend on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 12:00 p.m.
First Half
The Falcons started the game strong on the attack. After a pair of shots went wide, the Falcons looked to get on the board first in the 11th minute. The Falcons pushed the ball past midfield and then
Ella Lent-Koop switched the field sending a ball across to
Skylar Hynson. Hynson then passed it to
Lydia Ring towards the near corner. Ring passed it quickly to
Brittany Laird just outside of the box. Laird then passed to
Hannah Adair, who made a move past a defender and sent a pass into the box to
Mia Libby. Libby then drilled a shot into the bottom-right corner to give the Falcons an early 1-0 lead. The Falcons continued the pressure with two more shots on goal from Adair, but both were saved, and score remained 1-0 in the 15th minute. The Falcons created chances throughout the remainder of the first half but did not tally another shot on goal and the Falcons took a 1-0 lead into the break.
Second Half
The Falcons put the pressure on the Lions defense early with a
Lydia Ring shot on goal, but the Lions' goalkeeper made the save and kept the score at 1-0. After the save, the Falcons pressured the Lions' defense and forced a turnover just outside of the box.
Brittany Laird gathered the ball in the box and poked a pass, past the Lions' goalkeeper to the front of the goal and
Hannah Adair tapped the ball into the back of the goal to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead in the 49th minute.
Brittany Laird scored an unassisted goal in the 66th minute to push the Falcons lead to 3-0. The Lions looked to go on the attack in the 77th minute with shot on goal, but
Ava Wert made the save. The Falcons defense allowed only two shots in the second half, and the Falcons earned the 3-0 win to open the season.
Stats
Brittany Laird and
Hannah Adair both tallied a goal and an assist.
Mia Libby added a goal. The Falcons totaled 15 shots with seven shots on goal. The Lions tallied six shots with two shots on goal. The Falcons totaled seven corner kicks to the Lions' three.
Ava Wert earned the shutout win and made two saves.
Next
The Falcons take on the Cardinals of Otterbein University at Penn St. Behrend on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 12:00 p.m.
