Gettysburg College Athletics

OPENING DRAW: Today's non-conference game marks the 20th all-time meeting between No. 2 Gettysburg (1-0) and No. 15 Messiah (0-1) in a series that dates back to 2000. The Bullets lead the all-time series 18-1 but the Falcons notched a 10-6 win Grantham last season.

WHEN LAST WE MET: Messiah used a four-goal advantage in the first half to upend Gettysburg and notch a 10-6 win on Feb. 22, 2023. Gabi Connor led the Bullets with two goals. Ehryn Groothoff tallied three goals for the Falcons. (Full Recap) (Box Score)

LAST TIME OUT: The Gettysburg defense allowed just one shot on goal in the first half while the offense built a 7-0 lead en route to a 12-2 victory over Stevenson in the season opener on Saturday. Jordan Basso led the second-ranked Bullets with four goals and two assists. Julie Breedveld did it on both ends of the field with two goals on two shots, three caused turnovers and two ground balls. Kara Yarusso led the Mustangs with a goal, two ground balls, a draw control and caused turnover. (Full Recap) (Box Score)

NO. 2 WITH A BULLET: Gettysburg opened the 2024 season right where it finished in the 2023 poll - No. 2. The Bullets are behind only defending national champion Middlebury in the preseason rankings after the runner-up finish to the Panthers.

WITH HONORS: Julie Breedveld was named the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday after leading a stout Gettysburg defensive unit in the opener against Stevenson. She was a key member of the group that limited the Mustangs to just four shots, including on two on cage, and a shutout through the first three quarters. Breedveld led the unit with three caused turnovers and two ground balls while also adding two goals on two shots to the attack.

LAST TIME OUT: No. 15 Messiah opened the 2024 season on Saturday afternoon, dropping a tight contest to Scranton, 10-9. Grace Pettitt started things for the Falcons, scoring Messiah's first two goals of the season and finishing the day with three tallies. (Full Recap) (Box Score)

FINDING NEW OPTIONS: The Falcons had four players last year who scored 30 or more goals. Three of those four players do not return for the 2024 season. The trio accounted for 123 goals and 79 assists. Hayley Lettinga and her 30 goals and 36 points is the only member of the quartet back for Messiah in 2024. The Falcons scored double-digit goals in 16 of their 20 games last year. Two of the three times Messiah was held to single digits was its two meetings with York and a third was in the second round of the NCAA tournament at College of New Jersey.