XML Box Score Grantham, PA – At least four different Falcons each scored for a sixth time this season as Messiah College played through heavy rain and shutout Stevenson University 5-0.
Joshua Wood netted the game winner in a two-goal performance while
Mike Kovach,
Jack Thompson, and
Ryan Lago also tallied to lead Messiah to a 14-1 record.
The Falcons' match-up with Stevenson followed Homecoming victories at Messiah by both the field hockey and women's soccer teams. It also included a pregame celebration of the legacy of Layton Shoeamker, the famed former men's soccer coach who passed away in January of this year.
The nearly-4,000 fans in attendance didn't have to wait long to erupt as Wood netted his 13th goal of the season in the 12th minute of the game. Wood corralled a bounding ball to the right side of the box and kept his defender on his back before putting a hard strike past keeper Kenneth Hershey.
Wood's goal brought down the cheers and, unfortunately, the rain. The teams played through heavy rainfall for the rest of the first-half, though the Falcons kept up their dominant play and added a goal in the 24th minute. This time,
Mike Kovach did the honors by following up a blocked shot from
Jeremy Payne.
Messiah would both outshoot and outcorner the Mustangs by a 7-0 measure in the first-half, and would add three more goals after the break.
Jack Thompson scored the back-breaking third goal of the game in the 48th minute off assists from both
Jeremy Payne and
Mike Kovach. His shot would be from the center of the box after the Mustangs' defense collapsed on the end line before Payne dropped the ball back.
In the 62nd minute
Joshua Wood would net his 14th goal of the season on a penalty kick after he was fouled from behind near the PK mark. In the 70th minute
Ryan Lago put through his first goal of the season off a through ball from Payne to finish the shutout margin.
Messiah finished a 22-1 advantage in shots and 13-0 advantage in corners.
Stevenson falls to 7-7-2 overall with the loss, with a mark of 2-2-1 in the Commonwealth.
Messiah stays undefeated in the Commonwealth (5-0) and will look to move their win streak to seven games when they travel to Lycoming College on Tuesday, Oct. 22 for a 4:00 p.m. game.
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