CHESTER, Pa. - The Widener Field Hockey team put together a strong defensive effort on Senior Day but came up just short in a 1-0 loss to the Falcons.
The Pride drops to 10-7 overall and to 3-4 in MAC Commonwealth play.
BY THE NUMBERS
HOW IT HAPPENED
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Widener opened Senior Day with strong defensive intensity against the visiting Messiah Falcons. The Pride's back line absorbed heavy early pressure, blocking multiple shots and limiting the Falcons' looks inside the circle. Goalkeeper Fithian stood tall in the net, while defenders helped clear dangerous rebounds and intercept passes. Despite Messiah earning several penalty corners, Widener's defensive unit held firm and kept the game scoreless through the first 15 minutes.
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The Pride continued to battle defensively in the second quarter as Messiah kept the pressure on with multiple penalty corners and blocked shots. Goalkeeper Fithian remained sharp, making another key save to keep the game level. Widener's back line, absorbed wave after wave of Falcon attacks, blocking several dangerous attempts. Offensively, the Pride found a spark with looks from Karly Bervinchak and Kayleigh Armstrong, both firing just wide of the cage. Despite the Falcons controlling possession, Widener's grit held strong to send the game into halftime tied 0–0.
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The third quarter saw Widener continue to stand tall defensively against a relentless Messiah offense. Goalkeeper Fithian put on a stellar performance, turning away multiple shots to keep the Pride within reach. Despite earning back-to-back penalty corners midway through the frame, Widener couldn't find a breakthrough on the offensive end. The Pride's defensive core held firm under pressure, blocking several Falcon attempts. Even while playing a player down following a green card, Widener's defensive unit stayed organized to close out the quarter, still locked in a scoreless battle.
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The final quarter proved to be a hard-fought defensive battle for Widener, as the Pride continued to absorb sustained pressure from the Falcons. Goalkeeper Fithian remained sharp, making another key save early in the frame to keep things level. Despite the team's grit, Messiah finally broke through midway through the period to take a 1–0 lead. Though the Pride couldn't find the back of the cage before the final horn, their resilience and determination on Senior Day were evident through to the very end.
