Elizabethtown, PA - The Messiah Falcons men's soccer team suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of rival Elizabethtown on Wednesday night. The lone goal was scored by Blue Jay freshman Gilbert Waso in the 40th minute.
 
In the first-half, the Blue Jays held majority of possession and had many of the more dangerous opportunities. In just the ninth minute, the Blue Jays earned a corner kick that was sent into the box. A header by Jack Rudy was turned away by the team before a second shot was saved by Messiah keeper, Jonathan Weaver. The save was Weaver's first of three saves in the game.
 
In a six-minute stretch from the 10th to the 16th minute, the Falcons earned three corner kicks. Despite the corner kicks, the Falcons earned just one shot in the stretch by Colby Thomas that went wide.
 
Jonathan Weaver made another save in the 17th minute to keep the Blue Jays off the board.
 
Twenty minute later the Blue Jays would strike for the lone goal of the contest. In the 40th minute, Gilbert Waso picked up the ball in the midfield and carried toward the top of the box on the left-side. From just outside the 18, Waso ripped a shot into the underside netting of the goal just under the crossbar. The goal was Waso's eighth of the season, he leads the Blue Jays offensive attack.
 
With the Blue Jays leading 1-0, the Falcons had a chance to even the score in the 41st minute, but the Blue Jay keeper, Rodrigo Barrera, turned a Robby Johnson header away keeping it a one-goal game.
 
After the break, the Falcons controlled much of the possession in the second-half. Jonathan Weaver was forced to make a save just seconds into the half, but after that the Falcons settled down. Messiah outshot their rivals from the east 10-4 in the final 45 minutes, but unfortunately for the Falcons none of their 10 attempts could find the back of the net.
 
Shots by Benji Kennel in the 61st minute, Zack Bosshard in the 71st minute, and Samuel Ruiz Plaza in the 82nd minute were all saved by Elizabethtown keeper, Rodrigo Barrera.
 
Messiah's final attempt was a shot by Ruiz Plaza in the 88th minute but it was blocked by the Blue Jay defense before it had a chance to get on frame.
 
The Blue Jays escaped with the 1-0 victory, their first win over the Falcons since they defeated Messiah by the same score in the 2006 MAC Commonwealth Semifinal.
 
Messiah will next take the field on Saturday when they travel to Hood College to open MAC Commonwealth play. Game time is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.