Greensboro, NC – Judging by its performance in Friday's 2008 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer National Semi-Final, it's clear Messiah has had enough drama for one post-season.
The Falcons utilized a goal just 12 minutes into play and an eventual 16-4 advantage in total shots to drill Loras College 3-0, moving on to the program's sixth trip to the national championship game. Messiah (21-2-2) will now face Stevens Institute of Technology Saturday at 1 p.m., as Stevens handed Amherst College a 4-1 loss in Friday's other semi-final.
Following a four-game road to the Final Four that featured Messiah winning by just one goal each time – including a pair of double-overtime contests and another overtime affair – Friday's yawner over Loras seemed somewhat out of place.
That didn't mean the over 400 Falcons' faithful that made the trip to Macpherson Stadium at Bryan Park, or head coach Dave Brandt, were complaining.
“Every game has a different dynamic,” Brandt said. “I thought that the dynamic of today's game was one that happened to suit us well. Loras has an outstanding team that does some things very well. We were fortunate to get an early goal. That certainly helped the entire complexion of things.”
Messiah's first goal came off the left foot of sophomore Nick Thompson at the 12:00 minute-mark, volleying a knuckling fastball from the top of the 18-yard box following a throw-in from classmate Geoff Pezon. After Pezon delivered a standard-issue toss (the close proximity of the main bleachers at Macpherson Stadium may have prevented a flip throw-in), Thompson received a one-hopper and ripped a blast to the near post; a shot that Loras goalkeeper Nate DuBois had no chance at stopping.
“I just kind of hung out at the top of the box (during Pezon's throw-in),” Thompson said in the post-game press conference. “I was lucky enough to get a foot on it and hit it in.”
Perhaps understating his goal, Thompson's laser was a thing of aesthetic beauty, setting off a wild celebration amongst Messiah supporters in the stands. It followed an equally as impressive effort from freshman Derek Black just eight and a half minutes earlier, though his left-footed rip from nearly the same location on the field was saved brilliantly by DuBois.
That would signal the beginning of a busy day for the Duhawk's backstop, as DuBois faced eight shots on goal and countless other Falcons' pushes in front of his cage. Messiah carried its 1-0 advantage into the intermission despite a bizarre sequence just seconds before the half, as junior goalkeeper Jared Clugston was ran over by a Loras forward after it appeared he snagged a ball out of the air during a Duhawks' counter attack. As the ball caromed off his body and over the end line for Loras' first corner kick of the afternoon, the Duhawks' collision-counterpart laid on the pitch for an extended time.
Loras was able to record its only shot of the first period thereafter, but the effort scooted a good distance wide of the left post.
If Thompson's initial goal would set the tone of the game, freshman and younger brother Danny Thompson's goal just five and a half minutes into the second period would all but decide things. The younger Thompson received a brilliant cross from junior Josh Mull on the left flank, volleying an equally as impressive shot for a score as his brother. Danny Thompson put his right foot on the ball from just inside the box, going to the high near post to make it a 2-0 game at the 50:25 mark. DuBois was able to get an outstretched hand on it at the last possible moment, only seeming to push the ball further into the upper netting with his last-ditch effort.
“I felt that in today's game, whichever team didn't have the ball was in danger,” Brandt said. “Not every game is like that. I thought that keeping the ball and pressuring them when they had it was our main focus. I was pleased with how we handled it. Loras had some chances.”
Senior JD Binger anchored a defensive unit that foiled each Loras opportunity, however, as the Duhawks made their most serious push of the afternoon following Danny Thompson's score. Loras recorded its two additional corners and its only other shot of the game in the five minutes following Messiah's second tally; each effort being cleared off the line with little drama.
Senior Josh Sanders then made things unofficially official at the game's 70:39 mark, finishing off a dangerous build up inside the Duhawks' 18-yard box. Sanders made a run though a congested box, taking a through ball from Pezon before finishing a point-blank shot that would finalize things on the scoreboard.
Danny Thompson led the offensive pace with three shots on goal, while brother Nick and freshmen Trevor Lee and Tom Renko each were credited with two shots overall.
The win came in Messiah's fifth straight trip to the Final Four and eighth in program history, bringing Brandt and company back to the championship game following a one-year hiatus. The Falcons dropped a 1-0 decision to Trinity University in last year's national semi-finals. Prior to that, Messiah had won three straight national championships, capping a five-title-in-seven-year span.
“I think we have a healthy respect of how difficult it is to get to the national championship,” Brandt said. “Lots of guys on this team haven't won one, so we respect how difficult it is.”
Binger echoed that sentiment during Friday's post-game press conference, attempting to downplay the notion that – despite being a part of two national championships – it gets to be routine.
“I think it's kind of counterintuitive at Messiah,” Binger said. “At some places, maybe getting to the Final Four a few times in a row feels less special. For me, it just keeps getting better every year. I did dream about this. I had many dreams. But it's unbelievable. To be a senior and now be here again, this may be the best.”
Messiah – ranked eighth in the final regular-season NSCAA/Adidas Top 25 Poll – will now face Stevens Tech (19-2-4) in Saturday's NCAA Division III Men's Soccer National Championship, a team making its first-ever national championship appearance. Live streaming video of the contest is available through NCAA.com, while live audio will be provided by WVMM. Additional links providing game coverage can be found at the host institution championship site.
Game time for the national championship is set for 1 p.m. at Macpherson Stadium at Bryan Park, hosted by Greensboro College.
