By Matt McDermott, GoMessiah.com student manager
Saint Davids, PA — Déjà vu?
Brent Stewart thought otherwise.
The senior's goal with 1:14 remaining in overtime pushed Messiah to a 10-9 MAC Tournament win at Eastern University Monday, washing away any thoughts of a repeat performance from just 48 hours earlier: Messiah had dropped a 9-3 decision at Eastern Saturday afternoon, setting up Monday's instant re-match on Olson Field in one of the MAC Quarter-Finals.
It was anything but a repeat performance from the Falcons, as Messiah (9-7) scored the game's first six goals — hanging on in extra time despite a frantic comeback attempt from the hosts.
“Obviously, this was a really good win for us,” said Geof Weisenborn, Messiah head coach. “Not just because it came in the playoffs, but because we were able to play the kind of lacrosse we know that we're capable of playing. Saturday wasn't us, it wasn't where we had been playing. Today was more indicative of how we believed we could play.”
Weisenborn's group had played arguably its worst game of the season just 48 hours before Monday's tilt, falling behind by a 6-1 halftime score and never having a real chance at victory.
Monday, however, the roles were reversed, as the Falcons knocked in the game's first six markers — the first three coming in the opening five minutes. Just 44 seconds into the game, freshman Kyle Sproles scored, which pioneered the team's impressive hot streak.
“We were on fire,” Weisenborn said of his team's early play. “After Saturday's loss, we had to come in focused mentally. The turnaround was quick but the guys were ready to play today. The offense executed perfectly and finished shots. The middies controlled the ball, and the defense was solid.”
Five different players scored for Messiah in the opening 17 minutes, utilizing the services of junior J.J. Miller to the fullest. Miller started the game off a perfect eight for eight on face-offs, allowing Messiah to control possession and keep momentum rolling.
But Weisenborn never discredited the Eagles.
“[Eastern] is a good team,“ he said. “They never backed down and the made the best of our mistakes.”
One of those mistakes was a turnover from freshman Heath Kupecky at the 4:42 mark in the second period, allowing Eastern's Aaron Benz to start a quick transition for the Eagles. That transition led to a score from the hosts' Michael Hofmeister, who would start some heroics of his own.
The Eastern senior knocked in a pair of goals in the final 4:32 of the first half, helping the Eagles close on a 3-1 run before halftime. Hofmeister also assisted on the lone goal he didn't score, picking up a groundball in the midfield before stumbling — but somehow finding teammate David Darling for the putaway.
After the Eagles gained possession again with just over a minute remaining in the half, Hofmesiter would score on the man-up attack with just 34 seconds left. A three-goal run from Eastern (11-5) had cut the lead in half to end the first 30 minutes of play.
But Stewart had other, clock-beating plans — a theme that would recur.
The Silver Spring, Md. native blasted in a low liner just nine seconds after Darling's finish, helping the Falcons to a 7-3 lead at the break.
Messiah outdid Eastern in first-half shots (30-5), ground balls (22-9) clears (9-9) and face-offs (10-11), but Weisenborn said that, despite the one way slant in the first half, Eastern would come back.
“We lost focus a little bit,” he said. “Things were going our way to start but Eastern is a good team and they showed that. We didn't play well (the last five minutes of the half) and they capitalized.”
After both teams gave up a score to start the third quarter, the Eagles started to soar, scoring four goals — two more by Hofmeister — and, with 13:08 remaining in regulation, the game was tied 8-8.
When Eastern goalie Aaron Benz saved a shot from senior John Murdock with just under three minutes to play, the Eagles began what could have been the defining play. A successful clear led to an unassisted goal from the hosts' Joey Wilmot with just 2:40 on the clock — bringing Eastern all the way back to a 9-8 advantage.
But as tension built on the field, Weisenborn said he was reminded of an earlier game versus Widener University, where he saw collectedness from his team.
“They didn't panic, whatsoever,” Weisenborn recalled. “I called a time out (following Eastern's go-ahead goal) to make sure the guys knew what to do when we gained possession again and they continued to execute.”
Execute they did.
Messiah gained possession in the midfield off a failed Eastern clear. When the ball entered the Falcons' attack area, Stewart gained possession and started to dodge looking for a shot. On the other side of the play, Kupecky made a nice move to free himself from his defender and cut toward Stewart.
Stewart found Kupecky with 1:09 on the clock, and the combination was beautiful: Kupecky rocketed a laser past Benz to tie the game up at nine goals apiece.
Miller won the ensuing face-off — he finished 18 of 22 in the face-off x on the afternoon — and Sproles and Kupecky did have chances to win the game in regulation, but Kupecky's shot was blocked by a defender and Sproles missed just wide.
With the Falcons heading to their second overtime contest of the season, Messiah's face-off extraordinaire became an even hotter commodity.
Miller, who is second in all of NCAA Division III on face-off percentage at 74.2 percent, continued his domination in the midfield, allowing the Falcons to grab initial possession.
From there, it was all Messiah.
Weisenborn called a time out just 30 seconds into the period, allowing his offense to keep possession after they faced pressure from Eastern.
With hot passes and quick dives and dodges, Messiah possessed looking to create a chance to win the game. A shot from Sproles went wide with 2:07 to play, but solid positioning kept the ball in Messiah's possession.
When Stewart received the ball on the restart, he faked and dodged his defender, leaving him in his trail. With space he created in front, Stewart launched the ball towards goal, just getting past Benz to seal the deal.
Weisenborn said he never doubted.
“The timeout was to maintain possession,” Weisenborn said. “The guys were focused in overtime and they were ready to win the game. Brent executed perfectly and performed to the best of his ability to score.”
The ensuing scene was one of unbridled enthusiasm, as Stewart's teammates mobbed him. The Falcons had hung on — effectively avenging a sour defeat from just two days prior.
“I think this was a really good game for us to be a part of,” Weisenborn said. “Ever since the first three weeks of the season, we've made it an intention to compete in everything we do in practice. Everything is statted; there's a score kept in all drills. Today, I think we really competed, even when things got away from us. To have the collective confidence and trust in one another, knowing we could get it done, was huge.”
Messiah now takes its post-season act on the road once more, as the fifth-seeded Falcons will travel to second-seed FDU-Florham Wednesday evening for one of the MAC Semi-Finals. With sixth-seeded Widener stunning third-seeded Lycoming College by a 14-10 score Monday, it's the Pride will travel to top-seeded Elizabethtown College, not the Falcons.
Weisenborn's group will be making its second trip to Madison, New Jersey this season, as the team dropped a 9-7 decision to the Devils back on Apr. 17. Much like it's rematch with Eastern, however, much more will be on the line this time.
“FDU is a very good team, and we know we'll have to play our best lacrosse,” Weisenborn said. “We'll use the time we have to prepare and we'll give it our best.”
Game time is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at FDU's Robert T. Shields Field.
