Annie Futato and Stef Rowe scored a goal apiece as defending national champion Messiah College earned a 2-0 victory over the University of Rochester at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
The victory puts the Falcons (17-2-0) into the Elite 8 against Calvin College, a 1-0 winner over Denison University in double overtime. The game will be played at 1 pm Saturday at Fauver Stadium. The winner earns a trip to the Final Four in Florida over the Thanskgiving Weekend.
Steady pressure over a 12-minute period in the first half was rewarded with the game's first goal. Messiah's Avie Fitzgerald took a free kick from 30 yards out. Her shot for the top left corner was parried by Rochester goalkeeper Molly Leitch. The rebound fell to Futato and her followup hit the crossbar. The rebound bounced to Futato again and she headed it into the net at 17:43.
In the second half, Rowe scored against the run of play, capitalizing when Rochester couldn't connect on a free kick. The Falcons counterattacked, Cali Pitchel crossed the ball to Rowe and she slotted it home for her team-leading 23rd goal of the season.
Both coaches recognized Messiah's ball-control skills as a key, particularly to the opening goal. “Our key was to possess the ball,” said Messiah coach Scott Frey. “Rochester is very athletic; they play fast and hard. We worked to keep it on the ground and change the field. We did a great job.”
“They did a good job of possession the ball and holding off our pressure,” said Rochester coach Terry Gurnett. “They did not allow us to win it.”
Frey credited his central midfield, citing citing Savannah Stolzenburg, Rowe, and Kaci Klynstra along with his four backs as crucial to the success. Rachel Horning was one of his most dangerous players – lofting long flip throwins to the crease and hitting dangerous crosses into the box. “She's quick and can cut it,” Frey said. “The challenge was to get her the ball. When she does get it, something will happen.”
Rochester regrouped after the mid-first half surge by the Falcons. While not managing to score, the Yellowjackets did serve notice they weren't done. “The players off the bench provided energy to turn the tide a little bit,” Gurnett said. It provided a lift heading into the locker room.
Frey knew it was far from over. Rochester's rally was good – in a way – for Messiah. “At halftime, we told the kids that this team isn't going to go away simply because we're up a goal. At the start of the second half, they came at us.”
The Yellowjackets did flex some offensive muscle in the second period, outshooting the Falcons 8-1 and tightening the defense. Messiah earned three second half corner kicks, but couldn't get a shot from any of them.
“Messiah does a nice job of running into space,” Gurnett analyzed, “so that when a player receives the ball, she has two or three options.”
