GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No. 16 Messiah Women's Lacrosse team hosted the Mustangs of Stevenson University in a Wednesday night showdown at Witmer Family Lacrosse Stadium. Stevenson took a 4-2 lead in the first quarter before extending their lead to 6-2. Messiah outscored Stevenson 6-4 in the second quarter to notch the game 8-8 heading into halftime. After the break, the teams played level at one goal a piece to stay tied 9-9 with one quarter remaining. The Falcons tallied six goals in the final quarter, including three unanswered in the final five minutes, to secure the 15-11 win and the top seed in the MAC Commonwealth Women's Lacrosse Tournament to begin next week. Annalise Keitel led the Falcons with five goals while Hayley Lettinga added four. Grace Pettitt tallied three goals and three assists. Hannah Gawne led the Falcons defense with five ground balls, two draw controls, and two caused turnovers. Keitel added four ground balls and two caused turnovers.

The Falcons will conclude regular season play on Saturday, April 25, at 1:00 p.m. when they travel to Chester, Pa. to take on the Pride of Widener University.

First Quarter
The Falcons and Mustangs battled from the start with the Mustangs registering the first shot at 13:08, with Grace Hejeebu making the save in goal. Hayley Lettinga missed a shot just wide before Hejeebu made a second save in goal. Brynn Johnsen recovered the ground ball and a shot from Rahel Marshall missed just wide to keep the game scoreless. At 9:08, Annalise Keitel tallied an unassisted goal to give Messiah a 1-0 lead. Hejeebu made a save on a free position shot before Dani Sauder missed a shot just wide and the Mustangs missed a shot high. Stevenson got on the board at 6:08 with a man-up free position goal before taking a 2-1 lead with 4:55 to play. The Mustangs continued their dominance with two goals in the next two and a half minutes to take a 4-1 lead with 2:18 to play in the first. Grace Pettitt tallied a free position goal near the end of the first to bring the score to 4-2 in favor of Stevenson at the end of the first quarter.

Second Quarter
Stevenson tallied a pair of goals early in the second to extend their lead to 6-2 with 13:16 to play. Hayley Lettinga missed a shot just high before Dani Sauder recovered the ground ball. Grace Pettitt tallied an unassisted goal before finding Lettinga 33 seconds later to bring the score to 6-4 in favor of Stevenson. Annalise Keitel had a shot saved before the Mustangs tallied a goal. Lettinga had a shot on goal saved before Annalise Keitel tallied a goal to cut the Messiah deficit back to two at 7-5. With 5:11 to play, the Mustangs took an 8-5 lead. With 3:36 to play, Hannah Gawne tallied a free position goal before Dani Sauder found Annalise Keitel just 23 seconds later to cut the deficit to one at 8-7 in favor of the Mustangs with just over three minutes to play. After a timeout from Stevenson, Lettinga had a shot saved before the Mustangs turned the ball over with just over a minute to play. Kendall Bayley missed a shot just wide before Messiah recovered the ball and Grace Pettitt found Hayley Lettinga for the tying goal with just seven seconds remaining, notching the teams at 8-8 heading into halftime.

Third Quarter
Out of the break, Stevenson secured the draw control, but an early turnover led to a shot just wide from Hayley Lettinga. Grace Pettitt fired a free position shot off the post before Kendall Bayley missed just wide. Hannah Gawne fired a shot on goal at 10:30 but the Mustangs goalie made the save to keep the score notched 8-8. The teams played back-and-forth for four minutes before the Mustangs tallied a goal at 6:35 to take a 9-8 lead. Just over two minutes later, Dani Sauder scored an unassisted goal to bring the score level at 9-9. Grace Hejeebu made a save in goal to keep the score at 9-9 with one quarter to play.

Fourth Quarter
Stevenson took a 10-9 lead early in the final quarter before Hayley Lettinga had three shots on goal saved to keep the Mustangs lead at 10-9 with 11:46 to play. With just under 10 to play, Dani Sauder tallied an unassisted goal to bring the score level at 10-10. Hannah Gawne found Grace Pettitt with 8:16 to play to give Messiah an 11-10 lead. Hayley Lettinga then added an unassisted man-up goal to extend the Messiah lead to 12-10. Stevenson tallied a goal with 6:05 remaining to bring the Falcons lead to 12-11. Messiah tallied three unanswered goals in the final five minutes to secure the win. Pettitt found Annalise Keitel with just over five minutes to play. The Mustangs missed three shots off goal to hold the Messiah lead at 13-11. Annalise Keitel scored on a free position shot before Hannah Gawne found Hayley Lettinga with just over a minute remaining to take a 15-11 lead. Gawne secured the draw control and the Falcons offense maintained possession to take the 15-11 win and secure the top spot in the MAC Commonwealth Women's Lacrosse Tournament to begin next week.

Stats
Annalise Keitel led the Falcons with five goals while Hayley Lettinga added four. Grace Pettitt tallied three goals and three assists. Hannah Gawne led the Falcons defense with five ground balls, two draw controls, and two caused turnovers. Keitel added four ground balls and two caused turnovers.

Up Next
The Falcons will conclude regular season play on Saturday, April 25, at 1:00 p.m. when they travel to Chester, Pa. to take on the Pride of Widener University.