GRANTHAM, Pa. — In a rematch of the 2019 national championship game, top-ranked Messiah scored three goals in the second half to edge second-ranked William Smith 4-2 in a non-conference contest at Shoemaker Field this afternoon.
The Herons (1-1-0) opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Senior
Sheila McQuillen ran onto the end of a long leading pass from senior
Janne Knieke, dribbled into the 18-yard box and chipped a shot into the upper left corner of the goal. William Smith nearly doubled its lead in the 13th minute, but senior
Julia Keogh's shot from the top of the box just missed the cross bar.
The Falcons (1-0-0) tied the game off a brilliant individual effort from Rachael Tirjan in the 28th minute. She dribbled around three defenders into the attacking box and used her left foot to drill a shot into the lower right corner of the cage.
Sophomore
Emma Faso had a chance to give William Smith a 2-1 lead in the 45th minute, but her shot just missed the left goal post.
The Herons finished half with a 5-3 advantage in shots and seemed to frustrate Messiah in the midfield, keeping the Falcons attack bottled up for a majority of the opening 45 minutes.
Messiah made the right adjustments at the half and scored two goals in the first five minutes of the second half to seize control of the game. Tirjan continued to pester William Smith's defenders. In the 48th minute she drew a foul in the box. Kayla Herr stepped up and converted the penalty kick to put the Falcons up 2-1. Less than three minutes later, Tirjan notched her second goal of the game, slipping a shot into the lower left-hand corner of the net. Kenzie Spodnik added an insurance goal in the 84th minute. Herr was credited with an assist on the strike.
The Herons made a final push in the closing six minutes of regulation. Keogh found the back of the net for the fourth time this season firing a shot into the lower right corner of the goal. A minute later, junior
Julia Berg and McQuillen had opportunities turned aside by the Messiah goalie.
Senior
Amanda Kesler started in goal for William Smith and made one save. Lydia Watkins started for Messiah and made a pair of saves in 90 minutes of action.
A tightly contested match, William Smith finished with a 10-9 edge in shots and a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.
The Herons will be back in action next Saturday, Sept. 11, when it begins a four-game homestand against Rochester. The game is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on Cozzens Field
