Box Score

Grantham, PA (Nov. 11, 2005) – Third-ranked Messiah College scored three second-half goals to expand a 4-3 halftime lead into a 7-4 win over Alvernia College Friday morning in the second round of the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship at Anderson Field.

            The 11 combined goals is a new record for total goals scored in an NCAA Championship game breaking the previous mark of 10 goals scored in The College of New Jersey’s 9-1 win over Rowan University in a first round game during  the 1986 Championship.

            Messiah junior Lynn Sandowich (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights) assisted on the opening goal of the second half and tallied two more herself on corner plays as the hosts took a 7-3 lead with just under 10 minutes to play.  Alvernia sophomore Lauren Yoder (Fleetwood, PA/Oley Valley) flicked home the record-breaking 11th goal on a penalty stroke with 4:18 left on the game clock.

            Alvernia junior Megan Novogratz (Allentown, PA/Central Catholic) woke up the home fans in attendance for the 10 a.m. start with the first goal of the day just 3:27 into the game.  The Messiah pressure broke through twice in the 12th and 13th minute to capture a 2-1 lead with 22:55 still left on the first half clock.  Sandowich one-timed a shot from the left side for the Falcons (18-2) first goal on one of the hosts 21 penalty corners.  Sophomore forward Lindsay Hunter (Unity, ME/Mountain View) redirected a drive off the blocker of Alvernia keeper Carey Manzolillo (Bernville, PA/Governor Mifflin) that snuck under the crossbar for a 2-1 Messiah lead, and four minutes later senior Ashley Polet (Phillipsburg, PA/Phillipsburg) scored on a deflection to give the Falcons the two-goal cushion.

            Following a Crusader timeout, the relentless Messiah pressure continued to badger the Alvernia defense and senior forward Aftan Fisher (Gap, PA/Pequea Valley) smacked a diagonal ball passed Manzolillo and the Falcons had a 4-1 first half lead.  Messiah tallied four straight goals in a span of 7:25, but the Crusaders refused to fold, answering with two goals in a two minute stretch to pull back within a goal at the half.  Junior forward Becky Macchione (Richland, PA/Conrad Weiser) scored on a penalty corner assisted by sophomore Amber Landis (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata), and the tandem switched roles on the final goal of the half as the Falcons settled for a 4-3 lead at the break.

            Messiah junior Jenna Schwind (Wilmington, DE/Wilmington Christian) finished a Sandowich pass to open the second-half scoring seven minutes after the break and Sandowich scored twice on corner plays from the left side of the circle to give Messiah a 7-3 lead with 9:26 to play.  The Crusaders returned to the offensive with six minutes to go and earned a penalty stroke when a Falcon defender stopped the ball with her foot in front of the net.  Yoder make good on the stroke to close the scoring.

            Messiah will host William Smith, a 2-1 winner over Montclair St. in Friday’s second game at Messiah, on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. with the winner advancing to the Final Four at Washington & Lee in Lexington, Va.

Messiah 7, Alvernia 4 (NCAA Second Round)

 Alvernia College (18-4) vs. Messiah College (18-2)

 Date: Nov 11, 2005  Attendance: 250

 Weather:

 Goals by period       1  2  Tot

 -------------------------------

 Alvernia College....  3  1 -  4

 Messiah College.....  4  3 -  7

 SCORING SUMMARY:

  1.   3:27 ACFH Megan Novogratz (21) (unassisted)

  2.  11:15 MESS Lynn Sandowich (5) (unassisted)

  3.  12:05 MESS Lindsey Hunter (11) (Amber Fulginiti)

  4.  16:48 MESS Ashley Polet (7) (Lynn Sandowich)

  5.  18:40 MESS Aftan Fisher (22) (Lindsey Hunter)

  6.  28:18 ACFH Becky Macchione (23) (Amber Landis)

  7.  30:10 ACFH Amber Landis (6) (Becky Macchione)

  8.  42:59 MESS Jenna Schwind (19) (Lynn Sandowich)

  9.  53:49 MESS Lynn Sandowich (6) (Ashley Lobach)

 10.  60:34 MESS Lynn Sandowich (7) (Ashley Lobach)

 11.  65:42 ACFH Lauren Yoder (6) (Penalty shot)

 Shots: Alvernia College 12, Messiah College 31

 Saves: Alvernia College 14 (Carey Manzolilo 14), Messiah College 2 (Renee Herbster 2)