Box Score
By Matt McDermott, GoMessiah.com student manager
Annvillle, PA — The last time the Falcons stepped on Lebanon Valley College's Herbert Field, it ended in celebration for the hosts. Messiah dropped a 2-1 decision to the Dutchmen on an 85th minute, game-winning free kick back on Oct. 15, 2008, the program's first Commonwealth Conference loss to a team other than Elizabethtown College since the league's inception.
But this is not a story about déjà vu.
Messiah (15-1, 6-0) went back to Herbert Field Wednesday afternoon and rocked the Dutchmen with five second half-goals — two from senior Geoff Pezon — to clip LVC by a 5-0 score, and put the bad memories to rest.
Falcons' head coach Brad McCarty said that he was pleased with the effort in the first half from both his starters and second group, despite the lack of goals scored.
“I thought we started off playing well,” McCarty said. “We moved the ball well, especially early on, with good speed of play. We generated good looks but credit LVC for pressuring us well in the midfield. When they got the ball, they counted well and made some good chances of their own.”
One of those countering moments for the Dutchmen (8-7-1, 2-3-1) was at the end of the half, nearly resulting in a goal. LVC's John Wagaman got through past Messiah's back four and almost capitalized on a one-on-one with sophomore keeper Jake Berry. But, Wagaman hit Lebanon Valley's only shot on goal in the half directly at Berry, making the easy save.
The Falcons chances were evidently seen with eight of their total 16 first-half shots being put on frame, all of those being stopped by LVC keeper James Clements, who would go on to make 11 saves in the game.
Despite the first-half zeros on the board, McCarty said he was pleased and confident with his team's play at halftime.
“Anytime you allow a team to believe they are still in the game, it is a struggle,” McCarty said. “We were playing well, but we didn't put them away early in first half, but we did in the second.”
Did they ever.
In the 50th minute, Pezon made a run to the left side of the field, which created space in the midfield for classmate Nick Thompson, who was seen by junior brother Danny Thompson, who played in big brother. Nick took a touch before his shot, a hard and low rip to the left post, scoring his team-leading 11th goal of the season.
Pezon would break open the game with two identical goals in the next 10 minutes.
A little over five minutes after Thompson's strike, junior Kent Ramirez made a signature run down the left side, where the San Cristobal, Guatemala native crossed a ball to Pezon outside the 18-yard box. Pezon subsequently crushed his first goal at the 54:42 mark and deceptively beat the keeper at the 59:07 mark.
Then it was time for the second group to make their impact on the game.
Freshman Drew Frey received a cross from classmate Aaron Myers on the from the left side and the Dillsburg, Pa. native hit a hard shot to the near post for his third goal of the season at the 74:56 clip.
Freshman defender Josh Kremers then pulled his best Sam Woodworth impression by scoring a superb goal, his first of the year, at the start of the 81st minute.
After a ball was played into the box from sophomore JP Fulton, Kremers laced a hard and low shot, beating LVC back up keeper Josh Lineaweaver to the far post.
“It was a great goal from the bench, but I don't think it will look that good on video,” McCarty said. “He hit it hard though.”
McCarty continued, speaking of his team's offensive efficiency during the game.
“Our shot on goal percentage was good today,” he added, as 18 of the team's total 31 shots were on frame. “That shows discipline with our shot taking and shows we are executing better. We created quality chances from good rhythm. And again, it isn't just one guy doing it. It is a number of players playing well, the starters and the guys on the bench. The second group can score just as well as the starters and we have been showing that we are a dangerous team top to bottom.”
Defensively, the win was yet another shut out for the club, the eighth consecutive shut out for Messiah — the program's most consecutive since opening the 2002 season with nine straight blankings.
“Overall, we have a great team defensive presence,” McCarty said. “It isn't just from our goalkeeper or our back four. Everyone is playing so well defensively. Everyone gets after it and creates pressure.”
Messiah now looks to continue its strong play Saturday on Shoemaker Field, as the Falcons take on conference nemesis Elizabethtown College, a team posting a 12-1-2 record with a perfect 6-0 conference mark. The winner of Saturday's game will earn the league's top seed; the loser will drop to the second seed.
“Every game is a big game,” McCarty said. “They are all important and Saturday's game is as well. E'Town is playing very well. They have a very talented team of players and a quality goalkeeper. We have to come prepared, playing our best soccer.”
Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
