[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://www.conjsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Connor-Smith.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]
@csmith3110[/author_info] [/author]
EWING – The College’s field hockey team knows all about the Messiah College Falcons.
Last season, when the Lions struggled through the first few weeks, Messiah handed them their second loss, 4-2. While both teams made strong runs thereafter, the Lions watched the Falcons parade through the postseason and earn an NCAA Division III title — the program’s first win in nine championship finals appearances.
The year prior, the Lions knocked the Falcons out of the NCAA Tournament, en route to a semifinals loss against Middlebury College.
On Saturday, Sept. 16, at 6 p.m. under the lights at Lions Stadium, the College’s No. 4 ranked field hockey team will take on the No. 1 ranked Falcons in one of the biggest regular season matchups in Division III field hockey.
“We like to look at every game with equal importance but I think we’re all really hyped up for this game in particular,” said senior goalkeeper Christina Fabiano. “Given the season they had last year, we’re really excited to show that we can compete with the best.”
All-time, the Lions are 14-12-0 against the Falcons. They’ve met eight times in postseason play, including the Lions’ 1994 championship win over Messiah, 2-1. It was the Falcons’ second-ever finals appearance, which continued their trend of making deep runs, but always falling short until last season.
The Lions are a dynasty in Division III field hockey. They have 11 championship titles to Messiah’s one.
But this year, it’s the Falcons who are punching down against the Lions. Messiah earned 45 of the 52 National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll’s first-ranked votes, and have outscored opponents 19-5 in four games.
Last year, the Falcons lost one game all year — their week one matchup with Division II’s Shippensburg University — and now have a 26-game winning streak that goes all the way to Sept. 3, 2016. Head coach Brooke Gold has crafted a winning culture, now in her sixth year at Messiah. Under Gold, Messiah learned how to win when it mattered, something Lions coach Sharon Pfluger knows better than anyone.
Pfluger is a legend in collegiate athletics, a hall-of-fame inductee in both field hockey and lacrosse. She has a staggering 573-104-9 record in 32 years coaching field hockey, including nine of the College’s 11 NCAA titles. Just like her Lions, Pfluger is a perennial force in Division III field hockey.
“Coach has been in this position time and time again, so she’s as prepared as a coach can possibly be,” Fabiano said. “It’s a great experience playing for someone who knows the magnitude of the game, but also wants us to play relaxed and have fun.”
Last time they faced, the Lions were without their new leading scorer, freshman Tori Tiefenthaler. Tiefenthaler was ranked third in the country in scoring with six goals. Now at home, a win against Messiah would shake up the top of Division III, and keep the Lions’ undefeated season safe.
While all the pressure should be on the Lions, the Falcons still have a long way to go before they challenge their opponent’s hold over the sport. Still, beating the Lions in back-to-back years is a good place to start.