GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No. 16 Messiah Women's Lacrosse team dropped a midweek game to Haverford College at Witmer Family Lacrosse Stadium. The Fords took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. They held a 7-4 lead at halftime and secured the 12-7 win over the Falcons. Hayley Lettinga and Jordan Lewicki led the Falcons with a pair of goals each. Alina Bernal-Clark, Annalise Keitel, and Abby Welchans each added one. Hannah Gawne collected six draw controls and four ground balls. Grace Hejeebu tallied eight saves in goal.

The Falcons return to action on Saturday, March 21, when Messiah hosts St. Mary's College of Maryland at 1:00 p.m. at Witmer Family Lacrosse Stadium.

First Quarter
The first five minutes of play saw possession trading from team to team. After a ground ball pickup, Haverford was able to get on the board first with a goal at the 9:32 mark. The Fords looked to extend their lead, but Grace Hejeebu was able to make the save in goal. At the other end of the field, Hannah Gawne fired a shot on goal, but had it saved by the Haverford goalie. Hayley Lettinga fired a shot off the post before Hejeebu added a save. After Lettinga missed just wide, Grace Pettitt placed a shot on frame that was saved by the Fords' goalie to keep the score 1-0 in favor of Haverford. After a shot from Lettinga was saved, the Fords used their next possession to notch a goal. Winning the next draw control gave the Fords the opportunity to extend their lead to 3-0 as the first quarter came to a close.

Second Quarter
After starting much like the first quarter with back-and-forth play, Messiah earned the first free position shot of the game and Jordan Lewicki was able to convert the opportunity to get the Falcons on the board. The Fords extended their lead back to three just over a minute later. Hannah Gawne and Grace Pettitt each fired shots on goal that were saved by the Haverford goalie. The Fords took a 5-1 lead before the Falcons called a timeout. Out of the timeout, Gawne earned the draw control and Hayley Lettinga was able to find the back of the goal to bring the score to 5-2 in favor of the Fords. Haverford added a pair of goals to extend their lead to 7-2 before Grace Hejeebu saved a third shot on frame. With a man-up opportunity, Grace Pettitt found Annalise Keitel to bring the score to 7-3 with 3:53 to play in the first half. Hayley Lettinga fired a shot off the cross bar before Pettitt had a shot saved by the Fords goalie. The Fords fired a shot on frame that was saved by Grace Hejeebu before Grace Pettitt found Hayley
Lettinga for a last second goal, giving the Fords a 7-4 lead heading into halftime.

Third Quarter
An early free position shot by the Fords was saved by Grace Hejeebu to open the second half. Annalise Keitel fired the next shot of the game on goal, but it was saved by the Haverford goalie. Haverford was able to convert on a free position attempt before adding another goal two minutes later to take a 9-4 lead with 10:22 to play in the third. The Fords missed a free position shot high before successfully finding the back of the net on their second chance shot. Keitel had a shot saved before the Fords extended their lead to 11-4 with just over five to play. The Fords fired one more shot on goal that was saved by Grace Hejeebu to leave the score 11-4 with one quarter remaining.

Fourth Quarter
The Falcons were first on the board in the last quarter when Annalise Keitel found Jordan Lewicki for a goal. Grace Hejeebu had a save in goal for the Falcons before Abby Welchans scored a free position goal on a man-down possession. Haverford added a goal before a man-up goal for Alina Bernal-Clark made the score 12-7 in favor of Haverford with 5:35 remaining. Hayley Lettinga placed a shot on goal that was saved and Grace Hejeebu secured a save in the last seconds to bring the final score to 12-7 in favor of Haverford.

Stats
Hayley Lettinga and Jordan Lewicki led the Falcons with a pair of goals each. Alina Bernal-Clark, Annalise Keitel, and Abby Welchans each added one. Hannah Gawne collected six draw controls and four ground balls. Grace Hejeebu tallied eight saves in goal.

Up Next
The Falcons return to action on Saturday, March 21, when Messiah hosts St. Mary's College of Maryland at 1:00 p.m. at Witmer Family Lacrosse Stadium.