Box Score
Frederick, MD - The Messiah College Falcons found their way back into the win column for the first time in five contests after putting up a season-high 15 goals against first-time conference foe Hood College Wednesday afternoon.
After dropping contests to both Widener and Lycoming to open their conference schedule the Falcons (3-6,1-2) rebounded, netting 15 and holding their opponent to a season-tying low six goals.
Brian Meenan and
Tyler Goglio put up matching three spots on the scoresheet, while midfielder
Andrew Johnson found his three points via two assists and a goal. Nine Falcons, in all, found the back of the net in the contest.
Brooks Arnold stepped between the pipes in relief of starter
Jon Weimer and yielded just two goals over the final 35 minutes of play.
The Blazers (3-11, 0-5) were led offensively by Alex Engler's one goal and two assist performance. Goalie Joseph McCulloh made nine saves in the loss.
In what turned out to be an abnormally hot day at the Nicodemus Sports Complex, the Falcons finally found the spark they had been looking for offensively. After putting up just 13 total goals over a four-game losing skid, the Falcons responded with a 15-goal outburst, largely in part to the fast start from
Brian Meenan and a returning core of starters.
Meenan tickled twine twice before five minutes elapsed in the first as the Falcons jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. The Blazers would respond just 12 seconds after the second Meenan tally, as faceoff specialist Randolph Clark pulled a faceoff forward and executed a fast-break. A tally from the stick of
Drew Pagenkopf would find net before the whistle, taking the viisting Falcons into the second up 3-1.
The second period saw matching three spots on the scoreboard from both squads to send the game into the halftime break with a score of 6-4.
The third period turned out to be the best on the day for the Falcons. Meenan would again provide the spark as he converted on a fast-break from the faceoff just 12 seconds into the third quarter.
Andrew Harris-- who netted his team-leading 13th and 14th goals-- tallied from 18 yards out just over a minute later and fellow sophomore
Will Franken added another quickly thereafter for a 9-4 Falcon lead. Harris, Goglio, and Johnson would each add tallies on the back side of a Hood goal in the third to take a commanding 12-5 lead into the final frame.
The six goal third period just proved to be too much for the hosts as the fourth quarter brought three more Falcons goals, one each from
Heath Kupecky,
Jordan Smith, and Goglio.
For Messiah, the win could not have come at a better time. Sitting at 0-2 in the conference and on a four-game losing skid, the Falcons desperately needed a win to get back into a place to contend for the conference playoffs for the remainder of the season and being 0-3 would not have helped their chances.
Now at 1-2 in the conference the Falcons have five games remaining to earn a spot to the Commonwealth playoffs, starting with rival Elizabethtown College on Saturday. The Falcons will honor their seniors prior to Saturday's 7 p.m. opening faceoff on Anderson Field.
