Pittsburgh, PA – No. 3 Messiah College broke a scoreless draw with five second-half goals in a season-opening win on Friday afternoon. The Falcons' five goals came from five different players, with Nathan Eagan collecting a tally and two assists.
 
The tie was broken in the 66th minute when the Allegheny defense attempted to casually move possession across their back line. Nick West intercepted the long pass above the 18 on the right side of midfield, and he then took a quick touch further right before firing a powerful shot. Gator keeper Jake Pugliese, who made a number of great plays throughout the game, was unable to keep this one from getting past.
 
As it turned out, West's goal didn't just give Messiah a lead—it opened the floodgates. Over the next 22 minutes the Falcons added four more goals, with Robby Johnson, Eagan, Danny Rowe, and Colby Thomas all tallying.
 
Eagan set up Johnson's goal in the 72nd minute with a long cross on the turf from the left side. The ball went behind the defense and to the middle of the box where it looked as though it would meet the run of David Figueroa. Pugliese braced, expecting Figueroa to strike, but the ball went swiftly through the group and to Johnson on the far post.
 
Just over 10 minutes later Eagan put his own goal on the board, this time off a well-placed free kick from five yards off the left corner of the 18. The strike curled into the narrowest of space on the far post, and it gave Messiah a commanding lead.
 
Rowe and Thomas scored the final goals, with Rowe making two great moves to allude a defender and Pugliese before walking the ball over the goal line; Thomas scored his goal off a free kick and assist from Eagan.

The five goals were the most scored by Messiah in a season-opener since 2009, when they also tallied five in a win over Gordon College. The offensive outburst also made a missed penalty kick earlier in the second-half just a footnote.
 
In total, Messiah collected more than four times as many shots as the Gators (17-4), and they also attempted 10 corners to zero. Those totals were the product of strong possession from back to front, and their ability to win the ball back from the Gators' midfield. Messiah's defense, led by center backs Matt Kyne and Dakota Rosenberg, were especially stingy.
 
Jonathan Weaver was mostly untested in his first career start, and he finished with a single save.
 
The Falcons will turn around quickly to play on the same field tomorrow, this time against host Carnegie Mellon at 6:30 p.m.