Women's Soccer 11/6/2010 12:00:00 AM

Messiah takes title with second half scoring

GRANTHAM, PA: (Nov. 6, 2010) - Scoreless at the half, the two-time defending national champions, Messiah College, scored a pair of second half goals 15 minutes apart while not allowing Arcadia University in on the any of the fun as the Falcons claimed their tenth Commonwealth Conference Women's Soccer Championship title in the past eleven seasons.

Today's game marked the third appearance in a league championship final for Arcadia (15-4-1) in the past four seasons, and third straight post-season meeting with Falcons. And the third time was nearly the charm for the Knights. Arcadia got a chance to shore up their already well-seasoned defense when they topped Lebanon Valley 1-0 in the league semifinals earlier this week, and were ready to face the nation's top-ranked team and offense in their pursuit of their first conference championship since capturing the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference title in 2005. The Falcons (19-0), defeating Arcadia 4-0 in the 2008 semifinals and again by the same margin in last year's title game, entered tonight's matchup on a 70 game win streak, an NCAA record.

With all of this recent history between the players on these two teams, it was ironic that the game's first two shots came from a pair of underclassmen starters from each side. For the Knights, who registered the game's first shot on goal, it was first year forward Sara "Papa" Volk-Perez (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) whose first shot of the game at the 6 minute mark was blocked but her second needed to be rescued by Messiah keeper Autumn Reilly just 18 seconds later. The Knights baracaded the Falcons from the box for the next 18 minutes which featured a defensive deadlock throughout the midfield and top of the Falcon's offensive zone. Playing two forwards in Volk-Perez and senior Janelle Jablonski (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) up-front, Arcadia went with a 5-3 formation in the mid-field and defense. Staring defenders first year Kelley Gallagher (Mullica Hills, NJ/Clearview), and juniors Amy Lupfer (Andover, NJ/Newton) and Brittany Drosdak (Allentown, NJ/Allentown Central Catholic) provided support for the starting mid-fielders in first year Rachel Dolly (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown), juniors CJ McDonnell (Glenwoood, IL/Homewood Flossmoor) and Ashley Knueppel (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North), and seniors Katie O'Malley (Coatesville, PA/Coateville Area) and Stephanie Edson (Milton, PA/Milton). Arcadia's game plan to slow the high-energy and speedy Falcons down was working and it wasn't until the 24th minute when Messiah's first shot on goal from sophomore Alex Brandt was saved by Arcadia sophomore keeper Jackie Law (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood). In fact, Law protected her net perfectly in the first half for her team, turning away Joanna Haqq in the 29th minute and Tannia Nieto in the 40th to preserve a scoreless game. For the Knights, senior Katie O'Malley would break through the Messiah defense twice in the 37th minute, her first rip saved by Reilly, with her second blast sailing high over the crossbar. Reilly finished the first half with two saves and would remain untested in the second stanza en-rout to her 19th win of the season and 17th in shutout fashion.

The scoreless game at the half marked the second time in as many tries for Arcadia that they would hold Messiah off the board in the first half of play this season. Arcadia's defense was sticking to their game plan at the start of the second stanza, however, the Falcons would find their feet six minutes in. Their first two shots sailed off-target, their third by Haqq in the 56th minute, blocked, but would be recovered by Brandt and stonewalled by Law, who turned Brandt away again just three minutes later to keep Messiah flustered and scoreless. With the Falcons feeling more confident on offense, it began to mirror their defensive presence that was spoiling all Arcadia hopes at igniting some scoring chances of their own. Messiah kept the pressure on. Late in the 59th minute, Haqq would deflect a Bandt shot into the back of the net but luckily for Arcadia, the goal was disallowed on an offsides call. Yet just seconds later, Messiah would regain possession and convert a scrum inside the 18 into the silencer for Arcadia. Messiah first year Alicia Frey was left alone in the box and cleaned up the confusion with a rocket to the left corner giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead with 30 minutes to play. Frey's goal would wind up to be the game winner. Brandt would again break through the Knight's defense in the 62nd minute and rip a shot in on Law, but again, the two-time First Team all-league keeper maintained her cool and sent Brandt away shaking her head. Twelve minutes later and fifteen since their first score, Messiah junior Leah Sipe connected on a low, right-footed rolling ball from the top of the 18 to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead at 74:36. Sipe looked to make it 3-0 Falcons three minutes later but her shot on goal was stopped by Law, her 7th and final save of the contest.

Shots on goal were 9-2 in favor of the Falcons, who led 16-4 in total shots and 12-1 in corner opportunities. With tonight's win, the Falcons receive the league's automatic qualification into the 2010 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship Tournament. The Knights remain hopeful for an at-large bid for the first-round of play which begins on Thursday, November 11. Watch Monday's Division III Championship Selection Show to see if the Knights can receive their first tournament appearance in five seasons...visit the Tournament Website here at 9 AM.

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