Gettysburg, PA - Messiah College and Gettysburg College combined to score three goals in the final seven minutes of regulation en route to 110 minutes of play and a 2-2 draw on Wednesday afternoon. Jacob Bender and Colby Thomas each connected for the Falcons, who moved to 3-0-2 with the decision.

Bender's goal came in the 67th minute off a free kick from 25 yards out on the left side. His perfect strike curled around the Bullets' wall and tucked inside the near post for a 1-0 lead. But a wild final minutes saw the Falcons' 1-0 advantage turned into a 2-1 deficit thanks to goals by Henry Smith and KJ DePontes in the 83rd and 85th minutes, respectively. Smith's goal was a carbon-copy of Bender's goal-- a free kick from 25 yards out on the left side, with the result also being a goal that tucked in the near post. 

The goal was an impressive equalizer, but shock hit the Falcons when DePontes scored less than two minutes later. The Bullets played down the right side in transition, and Patrick Santini's cross to DePontes on the left side of the box was quickly gathered and rifled past Connor Bell for a 2-1 lead. As stunning as that goal was, Colby Thomas' goal just 33 seconds later was even more unexpected; Thomas collected a loose ball in the box that could not be cleared out, and he poked over the goal line from just off the right post.

With the score now suddenly 2-2, the teams went overtime. In the 92nd minute the Bullets' Mark Yearick was played into the left side of the box, but his shot was blocked after Bell raced off his line and slid into the offering. Moments later Bell tipped a high bounce over the crossbar, though he was unsure whether or not it would have gone in otherwise. Altogether the Bullets attempted three corners and four shots in the first extra period, but Messiah survived to earn another 10 minutes.

In the second overtime Messiah had the better run of play, but it wasn't until the 108th minute that they seemed poised to get another goal. The opportunity came after David Alejos was played into the box on the left side and was tackled by two defenders. The center official ran in with a whistle, but he called a non-contact foul to give the Falcons an indirect kick from 16 yards off the left post. Jacob Bender's shot was blocked on the line, but the rebound came to an open Thomas on the right side; however, before he could settle and shoot the defense recovered to deflect his strike, and the Falcons were unable to get another shot off before time expired.

Long before the wild ending, both teams earned waves of territory throughout the first-half. Gettysburg came closest to a goal in both the 21st and 45 minutes, with the first of those shots coming against the run of play but getting sailed over the crossbar from just outside the 18-yard line; in the 45th minute a pass from the left endline was slotted back to the top of the box but the shot to the wide-open far post went just wide.

Two minutes after the break Gettysburg nearly scored off a corner serve, but Connor Bell's quick save on a header near the back post kept it a scoreless game. Moments later, Messiah's Shay Quintin set-up Kirby Robbins for a great look from atop the box, but his strike went over the crossbar.

The teams traded opportunities from there, but it wasn't until Bender's free kick in the 68th minute that anyone could break through.

Gettysburg finished with a 18-13 edge in shots, with a 7-4 edge in shots on goal. Connor Bell made five saves for the Falcons.

Messiah next plays this Saturday evening when they host Mount Saint Vincent at 7:00 p.m. on Shoemaker Field.