GRANTHAM, Pa. - In its conference opener on Saturday afternoon, Eastern Women's Soccer fell behind early and never recovered in a 5-0 loss to the Messiah University Falcons. The host Falcons scored their first goal in the 13th minute and added four more in the first half to secure the victory. 

The Falcons dominated both possession and field position throughout the match. Messiah outshot the Eagles 21-3, which included 16 shots in the first half of play. All three of Eastern's shot attempts came in the second half. 

On the heels of relentless pressure, the Falcons took the lead for good in the 13th minute on a tally from Addi Martin. Less than five minutes later, Brittany Laird doubled the Messiah lead with a rocket off her left foot on a strong pass from Julia Martin. Lexi Sarago scored her first goal of the season in the 32nd minute, and the Falcons added two more goals late in the half to take control. 

Kelly Lyons, who scored against the Falcons in last year's contest in St. Davids, led the Eagles with a pair of shots, including one on target. Tia Argento, making her season debut, also recorded a shot for the Eagles in 36 minutes of action. 

Eastern (6-3-3) returns to St. Davids on Tuesday for a non-conference showdown against Stockton. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 pm.