GRANTHAM, PA. – Rachel Delate tallied a game-high seven points on six goals and an assist to lead the nationally 15th-ranked Messiah women's lacrosse team to a 12-8 victory versus 22nd-ranked Cortland in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon. The Red Dragons dropped to 1-3 with the setback, while the Falcons improved to 4-3.

Freshman Gabby Meager (Syracuse/West Genesee) scored a career-high four goals to lead Cortland offensively. Graduate student Hannah Lorenzen (Stony Brook/Ward Melville) netted a pair of goals, senior Amy Hoeffner (Bay Shore) and sophomore Toni Cashman (East Moriches/Westhampton Beach) each scored a goal and junior Rachel Janis (Laurel/Mattituck) picked up two assists.

Graduate student goalie Paige Potter (Cortland) registered 12 saves for the Red Dragons. Junior Madelyn Czyz (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) recorded three ground balls and three caused turnovers. Sophomore Julie Kadletz (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River) finished with three ground balls and two caused turnovers, graduate student Emily Goebel (Penfield) scooped up three ground balls, Lorenzen won five draw controls and Squillini secured three draws.

Jessie Wynne was the only other Falcon to score multiple goals, netting two in the game. Makenzie Schnur tallied a goal and an assist, while Emma Lytle, Abigail Evans and Jana Krihak each scored a goal.

Goalie Mackenzie O'Haver made eight saves and collected two ground balls. Delate also won four draws, and Emma Hagg and Sadie Leonard secured three ground balls apiece.

The game was played tightly into the third quarter with neither holding more than a two-goal lead. Messiah opened up a 2-0 advantage, and Cortland eventually forged a 5-3 lead late in the second quarter. The teams were even at 7-7 at the 10:01 mark of the third quarter when Lorenzen netted her second goal of the game, but the Falcons went on a five-goal run, three to conclude the third quarter and two to open the fourth quarter, to grab a 12-7 lead with 8:29 to play. Meager's fourth goal of the contest with 45 seconds remaining concluded the scoring as Messiah earned the 12-8 win.

Messiah 12, Cortland 8

Team                 1-2-3-4       Final
Cortland             2-3-2-1            8
Messiah             2-4-4-2          12

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Gabby Meager 4-0, Hannah Lorenzen 2-0, Toni Cashman 1-0, Amy Hoeffner 1-0, Rachel Janis 0-2
Messiah: Rachel Delate 6-1, Jessie Wynne 2-0, Makenzie Schnur 1-1, Emma Lytle 1-0, Abigail Evans 1-0, Jana Krihak 1-0, Grace Gormley 0-1, Jordan Lewicki 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Paige Potter, 12 saves (12 GA in 60:00)
Messiah: Mackenzie O'Haver, 8 saves (8 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Messiah 27, Cortland 24
Ground Balls: Messiah 18, Cortland 17
Clears: Messiah 19-of-26, Cortland 16-of-19
Draw Controls: Cortland 12, Messiah 11
Caused Turnovers: Messiah 9, Cortland 8
Turnovers: Cortland 20, Messiah 17

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 1-3 (ranked 22nd nationally in Div. III); Messiah (Falcons) 4-3 (ranked 15th nationally in Div. III)