XML Box Score Grantham, PA - Messiah College faced off against Widener University on Anderson Field tonight where they dropped a 7-3 game against the Pride. The Falcons tied the game at 2-2 in the second quarter and outshot the Pride 34-19 in the game, but Messiah could not find the back of the net in the second half.
Will Franken tallied twice for the Falcons and
Tyler Goglio had the other Messiah goal, along with one assist. Tim Taylor led Widener on offense with two goals. Pride goalie Mac Nestler came up big on a few occasions and ended the game with 10 saves.
From the start, the game showed all the signs of another defensive battle for the Falcons and it turned out to be so. Messiah collected 12 caused turnovers, while only turning the ball over 12 times. However, the Pride, who committed 21 turnovers, caused 11 of Messiah's giveaways.
Messiah looked to be in control of the game through the first quarter despite the 1-0 score for Widener. The Pride turned the ball over seven times and were outshot 7-1. Widener's conversion on their only shot spelled the difference heading into the second quarter.
Widener increased their shot number in the second quarter with eight, scoring on two, but Messiah was up to the task and scored two of their own on seven shots. The Falcons got the ball back after their second goal with 1:25 to go in the quarter with a masterful clear.
Dean Patton caused a turnover and three Falcons sent the ball over the line with well-placed hockey passes.
The Falcons called a timeout after the good clear to set up the end of the quarter but a turnover gave the ball back to the Pride with under a minute to go. A save by
T.J. Cole kept the game tied but the Pride picked up the rebound and took the lead on Taylor's first goal with 10 seconds on the clock.
Widener took over the game in the third quarter, scoring three unanswered goals within a three-minute span. Messiah continued to pressure the Widener goal though, firing off eight shots in the quarter. Three of those shots came on a possession that lasted the better part of four minutes.
Messiah put even more pressure on the net in the fourth quarter, sending 12 shots at Nestler. Only one got past him early in the quarter and the Pride matched that with a goal at the 3:05 mark. Nestler highlighted the game for the Pride and made an incredible, acrobatic save to keep Franken from getting a hat trick with under a minute to play.
The Falcons dropped to 2-3 in the Commonwealth and 4-7 overall, while the Pride improved to 6-4 on the year and 4-0 in the conference. Messiah will next travel to Elizabethtown College this Saturday, Apr. 12, for a game at 1:00 p.m.
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