The third-ranked Misericordia University women's soccer team suffered its first loss of the season with a 2-0 setback at the hands of #19 Messiah, in a battle of nationally-ranked teams, Friday night at Mangelsdorf Field.
 
Messiah opened the scoring at 13:30 to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Haleigh Wintersteen gave MU their first scoring opportunity of the night when she delivered a low-angle shot from the far side of the pitch that was denied by Messiah's goalkeeper at 22:32. 
 
Mondor made a positional save on a ball launched from just outside the box to keep MU within a goal with at 38:30.
 
After the Cougars survived a pair of Messiah corners early in the second half, Emma Sweitzer quickly carried the ball 40 yards through the Falcons' defensive zone and cut between two defenders, but the Falcons keeper came off her line to extinguish the threat. 
 
Messiah tacked on an insurance goal at 58:57.
 
As time continued to tick down in the second half, Misericordia found themselves with another opportunity to get on the board. Samantha Bardonner fought her way through two defenders and chipped a pass to Lily Heistand, who stepped into a tough-angle shot that was saved by the Falcons' keeper near the left post.