No. 5 Messiah 4, Lebanon Valley 1
 
LVC Starters
Wright, Ward, Long, Kline, Shirey, Antonello, Mercado, Alba, Leidich, Washburn, Kearney (GK)
 
Messiah Starters
Malcolm, Johnson, Mast, Shank, Bryner, Young, Seubert, Villegas, Smith, Myers, Brubaker (GK)
 
How It Happened
ANNVILLE, Pa. – No. 5 Messiah netted three first-quarter goals and eventually defeated Lebanon Valley 4-1 on Wednesday night in each team's Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Field Hockey opener. The Falcons improved to 6-1, 1-0 MACC, while the Dutchmen dropped to 1-6, 0-1 MACC.
 
Before tonight's game, LVC honored junior forward Abbie Keath, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma this past spring and just finished up chemotherapy in August. The field hockey team sold t-shirts and raised funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Abbie's honor. Prior to tonight's contest, Abbie's high school team, ELCO, took on McCaskey on Arnold Field where she was also honored for the strength she's shown over the past several months. Keath played fairly heavy minutes in tonight's game and nearly scored in the final quarter.
 
Messiah got on the board early in tonight's matchup when Jennie Young dribbled to the right side of the circle and fed Ashlyn Smith who scored to make it 1-0 just 1:08 into the game. Just over five minutes later, Makayla Malcolm put home a rebound to make it 2-0 in favor of the visitors.
 
The Falcons capped off their big quarter with 2:16 left when Teagan Murrie scored off Allie Mast's penalty-corner assist to put Messiah up 3-0. From there, LVC held the visitors off the scoreboard, but were down 3-0 at halftime.
 
After neither team could find the back of the net in the third, the Dutchmen came to within two goals in the fourth when Hannah Shirey's initial shot was saved, but Lexi Ward scooped up the rebound and scored to make it a 3-1 game. Less than three minutes later, Messiah put the game out of reach, however, when Mast rocketed a shot off Leah Bryner's penalty corner to make it 4-1.
 
Inside the Numbers
 - Ward finished with a goal and a pair of shots on goal.
 - Danielle Alba registered two shots on net.
 - Corinne Kearney made five stops for the Dutchmen.
 - Messiah's Catie Brubaker played the first half and earned the win.
 - The Falcons led in shots (15-6) and shots on goal (10-6).
 - Penalty corners were even at 6-6.
 
Who's Next?
MAC play continues for LVC this Saturday, Sept. 25, when the Dutchmen travel to Albright to take on the Lions at 4:30 p.m.
 
Stay Connected
Be sure to follow @lvcathletics on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for the most in-depth coverage of LVC athletics.