Box Score
Center Valley, PA — Messiah showed the ability to fight and the capacity to overcome mistakes Saturday afternoon at DeSales University, as the Falcons came back from an early deficit and a late tie to claim a 3-2 win at a raucous, DUC Field.
A goal from senior Nick Thompson with just 4:58 remaining in regulation erased a 2-2 score and capped a second half which saw Messiah outshoot the host Bulldogs by a 16-5 margin, putting a positive end to both a four-game road swing and a hard-nosed outing from DeSales.
“I thought we played well today, and I thought DeSales put forth a very good effort,” said Brad McCarty, Messiah head coach. “Their crowd was into the game, and they played very, very hard. We made some mistakes, DeSales capitalized, and we were in for a fight.”
The battle began early for Messiah (5-1), as a long ball connection put the Bulldogs on the board just 3:34 into the action. DeSales' Aaron Gildner played a ball over the top of the Falcons' back line to teammate Derek Long, and the junior knew exactly what to do: Running on to the high bouncing feed, Long caught senior goalkeeper Kyle Fulks charging out, placing a high chip over Fulks' head and into the back of the net.
In what would be a recurring theme for the afternoon, Messiah would have to respond.
The visitors got a needed equalizer just 10 minutes later, when senior Nick Thompson pressured a DeSales' defender and jarred the ball loose just outside the Bulldogs' 18-yard box. Upon gaining possession, Thompson went to goal and poked it past DeSales' goalkeeper Adam Franczak, tying the game at the 13:37 mark.
Following that score, Messiah and DeSales (5-2) traded possession in the midfield, with neither team creating any additional dangerous chances throughout the first period. The Falcons finished the first period with only a 5-4 advantage in total shots, but ripped off five corner kicks to the Bulldogs' none.
McCarty's group would change the complexion of the game out of the halftime gates, however.
With a refocus on attacking, the Falcons began to pummel the Bulldogs' back line, equaling the total number of first half shots in the opening five minutes of the second. Freshman Drew Frey accounted for three of those — his first attempt blocked by a DeSales' defender and his second banging off the crossbar.
His third would put Messiah up by a 2-1 count.
Following a pair of long crosses, Frey took a rolling cross from Nick Thompson on the right side of the field. Positioned inside the box, Frey volleyed Thompson's serve into the DeSales' cage, giving the Falcons a one-goal lead at the 58:09 mark.
“I thought we were dominant in the first 20 or 25 minutes of the second half,” McCarty said. “We were very dangerous, and created a lot of chances. It felt like we could have scored more, but we hit the crossbar and (Franczak) made some really nice saves. I thought that after Drew scored, though, we slowly lost some of our sharpness and the play started going end to end. “
In the 75th minute, DeSales would capitalize again on a miscue in the Falcons' backfield.
After a long throw in from the Bulldogs' Tyler Nolan, Long was again in the right spot, collecting a ball that deflected off of Fulks' hands and to the far post. Long bashed in his attempt from point-blank range, scoring his eighth goal of the season and giving the hosts new life.
Needing a score once more, Thompson and Frey would again do the honors.
With the clock ticking toward overtime, it was Messiah that made use of a long throw in, as senior Geoff Pezon hurled the ball just short of the Bulldogs' 18-yard box. Frey was able to flick the ball to Thompson, who was positioned at the six-yard spot.
He hammered it home for his team-leading fourth goal of the season.
Frey nearly made it a 4-2 game twice more, but Franczak made another brilliant save with 1:43 to play, and Frey caromed one off the post at the 88:56 mark. Franczak finished with six saves in goal for DeSales — several of which were outstanding — keeping the Bulldogs in the game on numerous occasions.
“I thought, overall, we moved the ball well and did some good things,” McCarty said. “We generated some scoring opportunities and showed we can be dangerous, but we also made some mistakes. We need to learn from those, and we will.”
Messiah will, at long last, get the chance to play on its home field next, but that will be somewhat of an aberration: The Falcons will take to the road for the ensuing three games, providing a stretch where seven of eight consecutive games are played away from Shoemaker Field.
Fans won't want to miss the moonlight appearance from the Falcons this Wednesday, as the team hosts neighboring rival Dickinson College. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
