Box Score
By Matt McDermott, GoMessiah.com student manager
Grantham, PA — Messiah's seniors have been to three Final Fours and have won two NCAA Division III National Championships, but Tuesday night on Shoemaker Field, they did something they have never done before:
Beat York College.
The Falcons scored in both halves and played lockdown defense to shut out the Spartans, winning their first game against their neighboring rivals in five years by a 2-0 score.
From the opening kickoff, both York (9-4) and Messiah (9-1) came out with intense pressure, looking to gain an early lead. Messiah head coach Brad McCarty said that he wanted that early pressure to set the tone for the game.
“It was very important for us be intense early,” McCarty said. “I thought we came out with good pressure looking to attack. York did the same thing and I thought play was even in the first half.”
Even it was. Both teams battled back and forth into both attacking thirds, gaining chances.
With 14 minutes left to play, York's Antonio Bau gained possession in the midfield off a counter. Bua passed to junior Kemal Nuspahic on the right side with three other York players attacking with him — only seniors Jon Burke and Sean Cunningham back on defense for the Falcons.
But the advantage was shut down by Burke, who forced Nuspahic into taking an off balanced, flat angle shot that was instantly saved by sophomore keeper Jake Berry.
“York had some great chances in the first half,” McCarty said. “Bau and Kemal are quick and quality players and they gave us trouble all game. But I thought Burke had one of his better games this season tonight. He not only was a good first defender, eating up balls and stopping chances, but he was a smart second defender, helping on the weak side with poise and understanding of where he had to be.”
In a first half where McCarty's group had only slightly better statistics — eight shots to York's five; three corners to the Spartans' one — it was Messiah's turn to make some noise before the intermission.
With just under nine minutes to play, junior midfielder Sam Woodworth switched fields to classmate Trevor Lee. Lee then scissored and turned the corner before the end line, playing in a quality ball to freshman Sheldon Myer who pounded home his second goal of the season at the 8:53 mark.
“It was a well deserved goal,” McCarty said. “I thought we outplayed (York) in the first half. The second group continued to play well. They both generated opportunities to score and this time we finished.”
At the half, Messiah led for the first time against York since the 2006 season — an eventual 1-1, double-overtime tie result.
And even though the intensity level was already at a high level, the Spartans increased their energy level in the second half. York continued their high pressure early on, but Messiah's defense continued to clear out any chance, creating opportunities for the midfield to control possession.
“The guys on defense really stopped them in the second half,” McCarty said. “Jake played well in goal and the back line did the same. I thought we could have been a little more patient but even the top five guys got back to play defense and stop chances well. We played well against their pressure and it created chances for us as well.”
And one of those chances gave way to, arguably, one of the greatest goals in Shoemaker Field history.
With just over 16 minutes to play and on the left side of the attacking third, Lee served a deep throw into the box where it was cleared out by a Spartan defender.
Enter Woodworth to put his mark on the game — and in a dramatically beautiful way.
Woodworth chest trapped the clear, easily 35 yards out, and volleyed his ensuing shot straight from the air. What first seemed to be a knuckling miss hit turned into a ball that was struck perfectly, dipping at the last possible second and just clearing under the crossbar on the left side of the goal for Woodworth's first goal of the year at the 15:57 mark.
Every Messiah player and nearly each of the 1,250 in attendance erupted in disbelief at seeing an unbelievable goal.
Except for one.
“I kinda saw it out of the corner of my eye,” McCarty said. “One of the players was talking to me and I was kinda looking at him, kinda looking at the field. Then everyone went crazy.”
The goal turned out to be the back breaker for the Spartans, as it was too much, too late to conjure another attack.
By game's end, Messiah's 18 total shots and six corners proved to be too much for York. After an 0-3-1 record, the four-year winless streak against the Spartans was over. The Falcons had captured their first win against their regular-season nemesis since a 2-1, overtime win at York back on Sept. 14, 2005.
“Last year, we played straight up against them and the game was really even,” McCarty said. “The heavy wind played a big factor as we both had eight shots and four good opportunities to score. Last year they finished and we didn't. This year, we played the same way and we got the results. It is good to get the seniors a win. Both teams are quality teams, we just have to get better. We have things to work on and so does York. Both teams can make an impact down the road (in the NCAA Tournament), but only if we get better.”
Messiah will have time to improve, as the Falcons will open the ever-important Commonwealth Conference slate Saturday at Arcadia University. Ironically, the league opener is rematch of last year's Commonwealth Conference Championship, a game that Messiah won 4-1.
Saturday's game time is set for 3 p.m. at Arcadia's Castle Field.
