Grantham, PA – In a highly anticipated match-up of Commonwealth rivals Messiah and Lycoming, the Falcons scored early and late to earn a 3-0 win. Jeremy Payne tallied twice for the Falcons—both times in the first-half—and Danny Brandt added a back-breaking goal late in the contest.
 
The game garnered extra excitement, as it was a rematch of last year's penalty kick decision for the Warriors over the Falcons in the Commonwealth Semifinal. On Wednesday, the Falcons showed little interest in a repeat of that result as Jeremy Payne scored in just the eighth minute.
 
Payne started the play himself as he approached on the left side into the Falcons' attacking third. He passed middle to Brandt who quickly moved the ball to Mike Kovach on the right side. As the Warriors' defense settled back Kovach sent the ball back across the 18 yard line to Payne, who squared to the goal before dribbling middle and past his defender to fire a shot low into the left side of the net.
 
On the shot Lycoming's defenders seemed to have blocked the vision of keeper Connor Keenan just enough to delay his diving attempt for the save.
 
Though now down 1-0, Lycoming did not open their field much throughout the first-half. That resulted in just a single shot by their team, though they did manage to hold possession for short stretches.
 
But in the 29th minute, the Falcons broke through again. This time Jack Thompson set up the score after getting to the end line on the left side for a sharp cross to the near post. A Lycoming defender misread the pass and awkwardly headed the ball down, but not far enough away as Payne ran on for the quick strike into the goal.
 
Payne's two goals raised his team-leading total to 11 on the season.
 
Messiah held both their lead and territory deep into the second-half when Danny Brandt made it 3-0. Brandt started the play himself on the right side, as he found Payne near the corner of the 18 and then overlapped on the run into the box. Payne turned away from Brandt and went middle, slotting quickly to Kirby Robbins on his run into the box. Robbins laid the ball off the Brandt who one-timed it past Keenan for the goal.
 
The Falcons finished with a 22-3 edge in shots and an 8-0 advantage in corners. Lycoming forced Brandon West to make only two saves, while Keenan finished with four saves of his own.
 
Lycoming fell to 9-1-3, including 1-1 in the Commonwealth.
 
The Falcons will next play on Saturday, Oct. 11 when they travel to Lebanon Valley College. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.