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Messiah women’s soccer will play today for the sixth national championship in program history after overcoming a late deficit and surviving penalty kicks to advance to the program’s 10th national championship game on Friday.
After conceding a first half goal to Carnegie Mellon’s freshman All-American Alex Adams, the Falcons found an equalizer on a long distance shot from Lititz, Pa. native Kayla Herr with under 13 minutes remaining and goalkeeper Lydia Ewing (Palmyra, Pa.) took over the penalty shootout with three saves to put Messiah through to the program’s first final since 2016.
MESSIAH GOAL!!! KAYLA HERR PUTS ONE IN! #d3soc
— NCAA Division III (@NCAADIII) December 6, 2019
Tied game, 1-1
Tune in NOW: https://t.co/zMIpzV90tF pic.twitter.com/sS805g5OeZ
Lydia Ewing with the save! The Messiah Falcons are heading to the national championship!⚽ @MessiahSports #d3soc pic.twitter.com/aStSIMTQCq
— NCAA Division III (@NCAADIII) December 6, 2019
No. 1 ranked Messiah will face No. 2 William Smith in the final today at 2:30 p.m. The Falcons beat William Smith in the national semifinals in 2008 and 2011 en route to two of their five national championships. They also beat William Smith in the national semifinal in 2010 but fell in the national title game to Hardin-Simmons.
Messiah’s last national championship came in 2012.