HAVERFORD, Pa. – Playing under the lights for the first time this season, the Haverford College field hockey team fell 3-0 to the No. 13 Messiah College Falcons on Wednesday at Swan Field. 

The Falcons' first shot of the game looked destined for the back of the net, but sophomore Natalie Leslie swatted the ball out of mid-air to keep the game scoreless. Junior Allison Martin added her second defensive save of the season in the seventh minute while Messiah kept peppering junior goalkeeper Lindsey Lopes with shots. 

Nicole Wilkerson broke a scoreless tie in the 10th minute on shot in front of Lopes to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Carissa Gehman tacked onto the Falcons' lead with a goal in the 25th minute on a breakaway opportunity. Gehman scored her second goal of the game a few minutes later on an assist from Taylor Holt to put the Falcons ahead 3-0.

The Fords picked up the offensive pressure in the second half as they outshot the Falcons 15-5 and had more penalty corners (9-5). Haverford's best chance to score was in the 53rd minute. Freshman Paige Carson had her shot blocked while senior Jen DiMaria's follow-up was saved by Messiah's Carly Day. A few seconds later, freshman Elena Veale was rewarded a penalty stroke, but Day came up with the save.

DiMaria led the Fords with three shots on goal while Veale and senior Catherine Aronowitz each tallied two shots. Lopes had seven saves in the loss. Gehman led all players with six shots and two goals while Day finished with seven saves in the victory.

Haverford fell to 2-3 while Messiah improved to 4-2 on the season. The Fords play their second consecutive ranked team in No.22 Dickinson Saturday on the road. The game is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.