Boxscore GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Widener University field hockey team competed in its first ever MAC Commonwealth title game on Saturday afternoon. The Pride fought hard, but fell to Messiah by a final tally of 7-3.
 
The Falcons quickly jumped to a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals in the first four minutes. Margaret Howe-Consiglio cut that advantage in half when she got free on a breakaway and beat the goalie left side. Messiah would tack on one more tally in the period to end the high-scoring opening frame up 3-1.
 
The Pride came back within one as the MAC Commonwealth's leading scorer Madi Radnoff delivered her 16th goal of the season. Widener had a prime opportunity to even up the tally when it was awarded a penalty stroke, but could not capitalize. Two more goals within a minute from Messiah in the period's final moments allowed it to pull away and enter halftime up 5-2.
 
The Falcons added some insurance in the third with its sixth score. Another with 10 minutes left in regulation all but put the game away. Radnoff would tack on her second goal of the afternoon at the 7:02 mark, but it was too little too late as Messiah claimed its 14th consecutive conference crown.
 
Radnoff's 17 goals and 41 points this season rank third all-time for Widener.
 
Widener now awaits word on further postseason opportunities.