GRANTHAM, Pa. – On Saturday afternoon, the Messiah University women's basketball team used a strong defensive effort to defeat the Golden Wolves of Alvernia University, 57-42. The Falcons took an early 8-2 lead after a defensive battle in the first quarter. Both teams scored 14 points in the second and the Falcons took a 22-16 lead at the break. The Falcons then outscored the Golven Wolves by nine in the third to push their lead to 43-28 headed into the fourth. Both teams scored 14 points in the fourth to give the Falcons the 57-42 win. Liv Monturo led the Falcons with 19 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, four steals, and a block. Brooke Fenchel totaled 11 points, three rebounds, two steals, and a block. Hope Cook added 11 points and three rebounds.
 
Up next, the Falcons travel to Frederick, Md. to take on the Blazers of Hood College on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 7:00 p.m.

First Quarter
The Falcons opened the game with a 6-0 run to give Messiah an early lead with six minutes remaining in the first. Raegan Fogarty, Charlotte Milanesi, and Liv Monturo each scored a basket for the Falcons during the run. Both defenses took over the rest of the first with each team adding only one more basket in the final six minutes to put the score at 8-2 at the end of the first.
 
Second Quarter
Both teams opened the second with a pair of baskets to keep the Falcons lead at six with seven minutes remaining in the second. Hope Cook and Liv Monturo each scored a basket during the stretch for the Falcons. Messiah then went on an 8-2 run to push their lead to 20-8 with 3:30 remaining in the half. Monturo led the Falcons with five points and Brooke Fenchel added a three for the Falcons during the run. The Golden Wolves ended the half with an 8-2 run of their own to reduce the Falcons lead to 22-16 at the half.
 
Third Quarter
The Golden Wolves opened the third outscoring the Falcons 5-3 in the first four minutes to reduce the Falcons lead to four. Hope Cook scored the lone basket for the Falcons during the opening minutes on a three. The Falcons then went on an 11-2 run to push their lead to 13 with 2:30 remaining in the third. Charlotte Milanesi started the run with a layup and Brooke Fenchel ended the run with a basket and a free throw. The Falcons outscored the Golden Wolves, 7-5 to close out the third with a 43-28 lead. The final stretch was highlighted by a second-chance basket from Ainsley Bell.
 
Fourth Quarter
The Falcons opened the fourth outscoring the Golden Wolves, 4-3 to extend their lead to 16 with six minutes to go in the fourth. Brooke Fenchel and EmmyFaith Wood each scored a basket for the Falcons during the stretch. The Golden Wolves then scored five-straight points but Hope Cook and Fenchel hit back-to-back threes to push the Falcons lead back to 17 with three minutes remaining in the game. Both teams ended the game with back-and-forth play with Raegan Fogarty and Liv Monturo each scoring two points to cap off the Falcons 57-42 win.
 
Stats
Liv Monturo led the Falcons with 19 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, four steals, and a block. Brooke Fenchel totaled 11 points, three rebounds, two steals, and a block. Hope Cook added 11 points and three rebounds. Charlotte Milanesi totaled four points, nine rebounds, and two steals. EmmyFaith Wood also added four points, four steals, three assists, and two rebounds. Raegan Fogarty and Ainsley Bell each also totaled four points. The Falcons shot 34.3 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from behind the arc. The Golden Wolves shot 28.1 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from three. The Falcons defense forced 20 Alvernia turnovers with 14 steals.
 
Next
The Falcons travel to Frederick, Md. to take on the Blazers of Hood College on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 7:00 p.m.