Box Score
Grantham, PA — Following Friday's disheartening, 2-1 overtime loss to Hobart College, Messiah head coach Brad McCarty went philosophical.
“I shared a quote with our guys earlier today,” the Falcons' second-year coach said. “Walter Alston once said, 'Desire and determination must overcome disappointment.' We talked a lot about that. There are advantages and disadvantages of playing back-to-back games. The advantage for us was that we didn't have to wait five days to play again. We wanted to come back on a strong note, and we did.”
Did they ever.
Messiah pounded visiting Fredonia State University by a 5-1 score Saturday evening, displaying the type of soccer that helped the squad to two straight NCAA Division III National Championships — and the top ranking in the NSCAA/Adidas Top 25 Pre-Season Poll.
Junior Danny Thompson got the Falcons on the board less than seven minutes in and senior Geoff Pezon single-handedly created two more first-half scores, giving the hosts a comfortable 3-0 lead at the intermission.
Only a slight dip in second-half play allowed Fredonia State (0-2) to squash the shutout, but Messiah responded with two more tallies in the game's final 25 minutes to come away with the convincing — and needed — victory.
“I thought we found some rhythm tonight that we've been missing in some of our other matches, and that is a big thing for us,” McCarty said. “We need to find some rhythm in regard to possessing and passing the ball, and I thought we did a better job of that as the game went on.”
Early in Saturday's tilt, it was the Falcons' upperclassmen which looked to have a proverbial chip on their collective shoulder. Danny Thompson made certain his scoreless start to the year would last just one game, carrying the ball down the right side of the field and making a nifty move to shed his defender with 6:34 elapsed.
As Fredonia State junior goalkeeper Bobby McGinnis came out to challenge, Thompson hit a low, hard shot that chipped up and over McGinnis, settling into the netting to start the scoring.
Pezon then came to life just over 10 minutes later, making a pair of runs within an 11-minute window that would change the complexity of the game for good. In the 18th minute, the speedy senior got in on the right side and touched the ball past the final defender, setting up a one on one opportunity with McGinnis.
Drawing audible oohs from the Shoemaker Field crowd, Pezon then flicked the ball past McGinnis, with nothing but an open net remaining.
As Pezon fired a shot on frame, he was ripped down by McGinnis, drawing a yellow card only after his shot was cleared off the end line by another Fredonia State defender.
Senior Nick Thompson was called upon for the penalty kick, and the Hudson, Ohio native calmly put it away to make it a 2-0 game.
In the 29th minute, Pezon was at it again, this time shedding a pair of defenders before dribbling around McGinnis once more, unleashing another shot on an empty cage from a flat angle on the right side. Before the ball found it's way into the net, however, sophomore Dan Squire got a foot on it, getting credit for the goal and giving Pezon his program-record 36th career assist.
That helper moved him ahead of legendary former head coach Dave Brandt, who finished his career with 35 assists.
“It was nice to score as many goals as we did, but I'm still not sure that we created as many quality scoring chances as we'd like,” McCarty said. “We have to improve in a variety of areas, and I thought we showed improvement in some areas tonight.”
Perhaps the only flaw in the Falcons' entire performance came within a three-minute window early in the second period, where Fredonia State got on the board — and took half of its four shots on the evening.
With just over 10 minutes elapsed, the Blue Devils' Ryan O'Donnell won a ball near the sideline, took a few touches and unleashed an absolute rocket from 30 yards out — an effort that went just wide of the near post.
He would not miss 31 seconds later, as the FSU senior got behind the Falcons' defense following a long chip from teammate Brett Wysocki. O'Donnell outraced senior keeper Kyle Fulks to the ball, and put away a low shot to get Fredonia State on the Shoemaker Field scoreboard.
“It was disappointing to give up a goal,” McCarty said. “It's important to us to stay committed to defending as a team. We're still looking for our first shutout (of the season). That's important to us.”
In retrospect, it appeared that O'Donnell's marker refocused the Falcons, as McCarty's club quickly regained its vaunted possession game and dynamic attack. In stark contrast to Friday's effort against Hobart, Messiah (1-1) strung together beautiful passing sequences, maintaining the run of play through the final horn.
Freshman Josiah Groff notched his second collegiate goal at the 67:43 mark, taking a nifty slip from classmate Sheldon Myer at the top of the Blue Devils' 18-yard box, then deftly touching the ball around an oncoming defender. His ensuing right-footed blast beat backup keeper Eddie Bower to the left post.
Less than five minutes later, it was Kent Ramirez's turn to make use of gorgeous footwork, as the junior poked the ball away from a Blue Devils' defender — single-handedly thwarting the visitor's clear attempt.
With no other option, the Fredonia State defender tackled Ramirez to the ground inside the 18-yard box, giving Messiah its second PK of the night.
Ramirez finished off the opportunity himself, closing out the scoring in the process.
For the game, Messiah outshot Fredonia State by a 13-4 count and attempted six corner kicks to the Blue Devils' none. FSU's high-marking back line forced the Falcons into three offside's calls, but Messiah's pace was simply too much: Fredonia State was whistled for a total three yellow cards and a red card.
“We always want to play to a standard of excellence, and that's really what we measure ourselves against,” McCarty said. “We have work ahead of us. That is clear.”
Messiah will utilize a week of practice time before playing in its second — and last — double-weekend of the regular-season, as the squad will travel to upstate New York Friday. The Falcons will take on Roberts Weselyan College at 7:30 p.m. Friday night. A tilt at Nazareth College is set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
