No. 7 Messiah needs comeback to defeat Arcadia 3-1

GLENSIDE, Pa.: Arcadia University Field Hockey provided their fans with the gutsiest team performance of the season as the Knights hosted No.7 Messiah College in today's Commonwealth Conference game. After 20 minutes of scoreless hockey, sophomore Ashley Ditchey (Nicholson, PA/Lackawanna Trail) recovered a loose ball in the circle and hit the back of the cage, giving Arcadia a 1-0 lead. The Knight's lead went unanswered by Messiah through halftime and until the 47th minute when the visitors began their three-goal comeback, winning 3-1.

Arcadia (3-11, 0-4 CC) used textbook defense and timely stickwork to fluster the No. 7 Falcons (7-3, 2-0 CC) for most of the game. Awarded a corner in the 20th minute, Arcadia executed the opportunity flawlessly. Following the shot from the top of the circle, Ditchey moved to the loose ball in front of starting Messiah keeper Molly Gebrosky and as first year Molly Goldstein (Oak Ridge, NJ/Jefferson Twp.) and junior Marilyn Beatty (Chalfont, PA/North Penn) distracted the Falcons keeper, Ditchey punched the ball through and into the far corner sending the Arcadia fans and team bench into a frenzy. It was Ditchey's first score of the season and allowed the Knights to keep momentum on their side.

Despite the Falcons' 11 first half shots, Arcadia's defense remained composed and gritty, as did junior keeper Sarah Baumgardner (Hatboro, PA/Upper Moreland), who kicked away 5 of those shots on goal. In one of her finest performances to date, Baumgardner totaled 12 saves by games end.

Arcadia maintained their 1-0 lead for 27 minutes, never detering from their game plan, but Messiah seemed to be settling in and at 47:30, Juliana Hershey scored the equalizer. Tied at 1, the Falcons kept the pressure on and at 54:30, Kelly Martin's shot riccocheted off Baumgardner's pads to Hershey for her second score to give Messiah a 2-1 lead. The Falcons quickly added an insurance score less than a minute later, a goal by Kilee Rosenberry, assisted by Emily Bower.

Down by two, the Knights responded with the same style of pressure defense and good ball movement, earning some late game opportunities on the attack but couldn't come up with another score and settled for a hard-fought 3-1 loss.

Arcadia joins Lynchburg, Salisbury and The College of New Jersey, all three programs currently ranked in the top 11 in Division III, as the only teams this season to hold the No. 7 Falcons to three goals or less.

Messiah outshot Arcadia 25-4 and finished with a 16-5 advantage in corners.

Sophomore Pam Schweitzer (Fleetwood, PA/Fleetwood) earned two defensive saves this afternoon for the Knights, giving her a team high of 7 for the season.

The Knights have a week off before they return to Blankley Field to host Marywood University in non-conference play on Saturday, Oct. 15 as part of Family Weekend in Glenside.

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