Frederick, MD – Benji Kennel and Will Cochran each tallied second-half goals to help Messiah College to a 4-1 win at Hood College on Saturday afternoon. Cochran's goal came late and less than 15 minutes after the Blazers had drawn to within 3-1.
 
The win pushed Messiah to 6-3-1 overall, including 1-0 in the MAC Commonwealth. Hood dropped to 8-4 and 0-1 in the conference.
 
Nick West also tallied for Messiah, doing so in the 31st minute to give the Falcons the lead. David Alejos set up the score when he beat three defenders on the left side and sent a cross to West on the six-yard line.
 
That 1-0 lead held up through the intermission, though Messiah soon pulled away. In the 50th minute Kennel used a short header to finish a corner kick from Samuel Ruiz Plaza. The tally was Kennel's first of the season.
 
Less than 10 minutes later Cochran set up another score when he got in on the left end line. As made the turn he sent a hard cross on the ground that hit a Hood defender and darted over the goal line.
 
The own goal seemed even more significant when Hood finally broke through in the 63rd minute. Alec von Bronkhorst finished for the hosts, as his shot from in front of the net went off the post to put them on the board.
 
Playing with a two-goal lead, Messiah pulled ahead for good in the 76th minute when Cochran put through a one-time strike. Like he did earlier for West, Alejos set up the tally with a great cross from the left side.
 
Messiah finished with a 23-10 edge in shots, and Jonathan Weaver made two saves.
 
Messiah will next play on Tuesday, Oct. 6 when they host Lebanon Valley College at 7:00 p.m.