GRANTHAM, Pa. – The No. 22 Messiah Field Hockey team earned a hard fought 1-0 victory over the No. 2 Blue Jays of Johns Hopkins University on Saturday afternoon. After a back-and-forth battle in the first quarter that saw no shots from either team, the offensive action picked up in the second quarter. Johns Hopkins fired the first shot of the game in the second quarter, but it was
Ellie Lefever who tallied the lone goal of the game after a drive up the middle and shot into the top of the cage. In the second half, the teams combined for 15 penalty corners and eight shots, with Johns Hopkins tallying nine penalty corners and six shots, but the Messiah defense held strong for the 1-0 win.
Ellie Lefever led the Falcons with one goal on three shots on goal.
Anna Haberle made a save in her first shutout while
Addie Musser earned a defensive save.
Messiah will now begin a stretch of four road games, first traveling to Franklin and Marshall College for a 7:00 p.m. start time on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
First Half
The first quarter proved to be much of a defensive battle between the two top 25 teams, with neither team registering a shot in the first quarter. The teams traded possession throughout the first 15 minutes with much of the play being contested in the middle third. The Blue Jays had the first opportunity of the second quarter when they were awarded a penalty corner about three and a half minutes into the quarter. The Blue Jays fired a shot, but it was blocked by a Messiah defender. The Falcons then took control of possession as
Ellie Lefever made a run up the middle and fired a back handed shot over the goalie and into the back of the cage to take a 1-0 lead. Less than a minute later,
Aubrey Clark looked to add to the Falcons lead but missed just wide. After play continued back-and-forth, the Falcons had a pair of penalty corners that resulted in a shot by Lefever that was blocked. Neither team fired a shot in the remaining minutes as the Falcons held their 1-0 lead into halftime.
Second Half
Messiah looked to continue their momentum into the second half, earning a pair of early penalty corners.
Ellie Lefever missed a shot just wide before another pair of penalty corners for the Falcons. Messiah was unable to register a shot on the opportunities before Johns Hopkins had a penalty corner of their own. The Messiah defense kept the Falcons from a shot on their initial push before the Blue Jays missed a shot high. The next five minutes were played back-and-forth in the midfield before Johns Hopkins fired a shot on goal that was saved by
Anna Haberle. The Falcons earned a late penalty corner but were unable to register a shot.
Johns Hopkins came out hot in the fourth quarter looking for the equalizer, firing an early shot that was blocked by a Messiah defender. The Blue Jays then tallied four straight penalty corners, resulting in a shot that was blocked by the Falcons defense. The next few minutes saw the teams trading possession before a penalty corner for the Falcons resulted in a shot on goal for
Addie Weiler that was saved by the Blue Jays goalie. The Blue Jays fired a shot two minutes later after pulling the Falcons defense left, but
Addie Musser stepped in with a defensive save to keep the score 1-0 in favor of Messiah. With just under four minutes to play, Hopkins earned two penalty corners and fired a shot that was blocked. A pair of penalty corners in the final minute were not enough for Johns Hopkins as the Falcons cleared the ball and held on for the 1-0 win.
Stats
Ellie Lefever led the Falcons with one goal on three shots on goal.
Anna Haberle made a save in her first shutout while
Addie Musser earned a defensive save.
Up Next
Messiah will now begin a stretch of four road games, first traveling to Franklin and Marshall College for a 7:00 p.m. start time on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
