BALTIMORE, MD – Eighth-ranked Messiah got a goal in the 83^rd minute to break a scoreless tie and the Falcons held off fifth-ranked Johns Hopkins, 1-0, in a top-10 women's soccer matchup at Homewood Field Wednesday night.  Messiah improves to 3-0 on the young season, while the Blue Jays slip to 1-1-1.
 
Off a Blue Jay goal kick, the Falcons were able to control the ball in the air and the third of three straight headers was chased down near the top edge of the box by Brittany Laird, who played a perfect ball back to the middle, where Hannah Lashley was able to one-time a floater over the out-stretched hands of Blue Jay goalie Ella Kruntchev for what proved to be the game's only goal with 7:33 remaining.
 
The Falcon defense took over from there as the Messiah didn't allow the Blue Jays to seriously threaten in the final seven minutes to seal the victory.
 
One year after playing to a 3-3 tie, this year's version of Hopkins-Messiah had a decidedly defensive feel from the outset.  The Blue Jays had the best early chance as Carolyn Johnson fired one on frame from 15 yards out that Messiah goalie Ava Wert was able to control, while the Falcons' best opportunity in the opening 45 minutes came in the 32^nd minute when Alayna Williams found herself free in the middle of a crowded box, but didn't connect cleanly and Kruntchev turned her away.
 
Both defenses limited opportunities in the second half as well, although both teams did have good chances to strike before Lashley eventually played the hero.  Wert went low to turn away a Maria Romo-Nichols shot from six yards out less than four minutes into the half and Kruntchev matched her when she dove to her left stop Mia Libby, who nearly turned a Blue Jay miscue into the opening goal in the 61^st minute.
 
Hopkins' best chance down the stretch came in the 74^th minute when a Kei Kitamura offering on a corner kick found senior Ella Macko near the back post, but Macko's header sailed just high and wide of the crossbar to keep things scoreless.  Nine minutes later, it was Lashley netting her first of the year to settle things.
 
Messiah held a slight edge in shots (11-9) and Wert made five saves, while Kruntchev had three stops in goal for the Blue Jays.
 
Johns Hopkins will return to action on Saturday, September 6 when the Blue Jays travel to Shenandoah to take on the Hornets (5 pm).