GRANTHAM, Pa. – On Wednesday evening, the Messiah University women's basketball team used a dominant overall effort to defeat the Blazers of Hood College, 58-27. The Falcons opened the game strong with a 23-0 run that spanned the entire first quarter. The Falcons then outscored the Blazers by one in the second to take a 31-7 lead at the half. Each team scored 11 points in the third to give the Falcons a 42-18 lead headed into the final quarter. The Falcons ended the game strong, outscoring the Blazers by seven in the fourth to earn the 58-27 win. EmmyFaith Wood led the Falcons with 12 points, six assists, and three steals. Hope Cook scored 12 points. April Kauffeldt totaled eight points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.
 
Up next, the Falcons travel to Reading, Pa. to take on the Golden Wolves of Alvernia University on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 1:00 p.m.

First Quarter
The Falcons opened the game strong with a 14-0 run in the first five minutes of the game. Hope Cook started the run with back-to-back threes and Maddy Gassman capped off the stretch with a basket. The Falcons kept the momentum going with nine straight points to end the first with a 23-0 lead. EmmyFaith Wood started the final stretch with four-straight points and Charlotte Milanesi capped off the quarter with a basket.
 
Second Quarter
The Falcons opened the second outscoring the Blazers, 6-3 to extend their lead to 29-3 midway through the half. The Blazers outscored the Falcons 4-2 in the rest of the second quarter to put the score at 31-7 at the break. Brooke Fenchel capped off the scoring the first half with a layup.
 
Third Quarter
The Blazers opened the third with an 8-2 run to cut the Falcons lead to 18 with seven minutes to go in the quarter. Raegan Fogarty scored the lone basket for the Falcons during the run. During the next four minutes each team scored a basket with the Falcons scoring on a three from EmmyFaith Wood to up the Falcons lead to 19. The Falcons ended the third with a 6-1 run to push their lead to 42-18 at the end of the third. Brooke Fenchel led the Falcons with three points and Kirsten Parypinski added two points for the Falcons during the run.
 
Fourth Quarter
The Falcons opened the fourth with an 8-2 run to push their lead to 30 with seven minutes remaining in the game. EmmyFaith Wood started the run with a three and Hope Cook capped off the run with a layup. After a Hood basket, the Falcons went on an 8-0 run to take a 36-point lead with three minutes remaining in the game. Emma Fetterman led the Falcons with two threes during the run. The Blazers ended the game with five-straight points, but the Falcons earned the 58-27 win.
 
Stats
EmmyFaith Wood led the Falcons with 12 points, six assists, and three steals. Hope Cook scored 12 points. April Kauffeldt totaled eight points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. Brooke Fenchel also added seven points and two steals. The Falcons shot 37.7 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from behind the arc. The Blazers shot 27.9 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from three. The Falcons defense caused havoc all game for the Blazers causing 27 turnovers.
 
Next
The Falcons travel to Reading, Pa. to take on the Golden Wolves of Alvernia University on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 1:00 p.m.