Box Score

READING, Pa. - It was a very tough homecoming match for the Women's Soccer team (3-6-1/0-1 Commonwealth) as they had to play host to the number one team in the nation and the 2008 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer National Champions Messiah College (10-0-1/1-0 Commonwealth) Saturday afternoon at Shirk Stadium.

The Falcons who have not lost a match since finishing as the National Runner-Up at the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament defeated Albright by the final score of 5-0.

Albright did everything they could to hold their own against the best program in the nation. They used their physical play to restrain the Falcon's offense, but Messiah's speed and composure proved to much.

Messiah jumped out to a 1-0 lead in just the third minute of Saturday's match. It then became 2-0 ball game 16 minutes later on an Erin Hench unassisted goal. Leah Sipe with the help of Hench then made it 3-0 in the 51st. Amanda Naeher and Emily Cope would each net a goal to secure the 5-0 win for their squad.

Albright goalkeeper #Olivia Giuliano# had a solid showing coming up with nine saves on the day. #Keeley Peltz# returned to the Lions goal in the final 30 minutes of play and tallied two saves of her own. On the day Messiah recorded 32 shots against Albright. Seventeen of those shots were on target.

Women's Soccer returns to action on Wednesday when they host Rutgers-Newark in a non-conference match scheduled for 4 p.m. in Shirk Stadium.