GLENSIDE, Pa. – The top-seeded Arcadia University field hockey team fell in the semifinal round of the 2014 Commonwealth Conference Championship Tournament Wednesday night to fourth-seeded Messiah College, 3-0.
 
The Falcons (13-6) will next travel to second-seeded Alvernia University for Saturday's Commonwealth Conference title game. The Knights (13-7) will await the selection of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament Sunday and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship Tournament Monday to see if their season continues.
 
The two teams exchanged scoring opportunities in the early going before freshman forward Taylor Holt put Messiah ahead with a shot from the top-left of the circle 10:16 into the game. The lead quickly grew to 2-0 when freshman forward Carissa Geyman tipped home a pass from fellow freshman forward Emily Rudbright just 1:37 later.
 
Arcadia called a timeout following the second Falcons' goal and made a change in goal, and the Knights responded by generating a series of quality scoring chances through the remainder of the first half. The one thing Arcadia was unable to do was get one the board as senior goalkeeper Carly Day made several brilliant saves and was the beneficiary of a hit post on a shot taken by junior forward Debbie Wolfe before the end of the opening frame.
 
The back-and-forth play continued into the second half, but neither team was able to score until the Knights were shorthanded following a yellow card with 5:36 to go. Gehman quickly capitalized for the Falcons with her second goal of the game off a corner that was inserted by freshman midfielder Kristin Donahue off the ensuing restart.
 
Day finished with five saves for the Falcons as her record improved to 13-6. Sophomore goalkeeper Mia De Plato recorded four saves after relieving fellow sophomore goalkeeper Brittany Hodson, who took the loss after allowing two goals in 12:53.
 
Shot were even in the game at 15 apiece. Arcadia had a 14-8 advantage in penalty corners.