Gettysburg, PA — An early score and a subsequent all-hands-on-deck defensive scheme earned host Gettysburg College a 1-1, double-overtime tie result against third-ranked Messiah in men's soccer action Wednesday night, handing the Falcons their first non-win decision of the 2008 campaign.
The Falcons — which jumped from fourth to third in the latest NSCAA/Adidas Top 25 Poll — had a variety of chances to notch the game winner throughout the contest's latter stages, but some near misses coupled with some staunch defense from the Bullets foiled any and all attempts.
“We often see teams that are committed to defending and want to counter-attack,” said Brad McCarty, Messiah assistant coach. “We've battled that over the years and done well against it. After their score, (Gettysburg) committed six defenders which made it very congested in front of their goal. That's not uncommon, it just made it tough for us tonight.”
Things seemed to be going well early for Messiah (3-0-1), as the Falcons controlled the majority of possession in the first half en route to a 7-1 advantage in shots and a 4-0 difference in corner kicks through the first 45 minutes of play. Playing on artificial turf for the third time this season, the Falcons pushed several shots wide and high before finding their collective footing.
That didn't stop Gettysburg (1-1-2) from finding the back of the net first, however, as the Bullets' Ryan Shaffer got behind Messiah's defense and scored at the 51:11 mark, sending the occupants at Clark Field into a frenzy.
“We were disappointed to give up that goal,” McCarty said. “We had four different players make mistakes in leading up to that, and we need to eliminate that. There's always going to be close games. We need to keep our score sheet clean.”
Ironically, it was only after Gettysburg scored — and subsequently packed it in — that Messiah started to churn out its best offensive chances of the night. The Falcons got the all-important equalizer just nine minutes after Shaffer's score, as sophomore Geoff Pezon took a free kick just outside the Bullets' penalty area on a flat angle. Pezon sent an arcing ball directly in front of the frame, and freshman Danny Thompson collected an ensuing loose ball to score his first collegiate goal at the 60:01 mark.
From that point on, it was 50 minutes of similar soccer, with Messiah controlling possession — and the occasional counter from Gettysburg. The Bullets' only true chance at a game-winner came in the 76th minute, when junior goalkeeper Jared Clugston stopped a point-blank attempt — one of his two saves on the night — before the ricochet was fired back on frame by a Gettysburg forward. It caromed off the post, averting disaster for the Falcons.
The majority of the stomach-churning came from the Bullets' faithful, however, as Messiah continually placed shots on frame throughout the game's final periods. Perhaps the visitors' best chance came in the final minute of the first overtime, as freshman Trevor Lee blasted a rocket toward the near post — almost a certain score.
Gettysburg goalkeeper Adam Finkel dove hard to his right, however, going completely parallel with the ground in making an absolutely incredible save.
Sophomore Nick Thompson got into the almost-scoring act in the 101st minute, sending a laser into the goal mouth that was kick-saved at the last second by a Gettysburg defender.
Wednesday's result ended a three-game winning streak for Messiah over Gettysburg, as the Falcons handed the Bullets their worst loss in the 40-game series last year (a 5-0 win at Messiah on Sept. 11). It was also the first regular-season draw for the Falcons since a 0-0 decision at Williams College on Nov. 17, 2006.
“Coach (Brandt) talked to our guys afterward and told them he wanted them to be disappointed but not discouraged,” McCarty said. “The season is a marathon, not a sprint. We have things to improve on, but we're excited about the progress we're seeing.”
Messiah will return to the friendly confines of Shoemaker Field for its next tilt, hosting Kean University Saturday. The Cougars are playing quality soccer of late, winning their last four matches. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
