Grantham, PA – Two goals by Nick West and one from Colby Thomas proved to be just enough, as Messiah College won an exciting contest against York College Tuesday night, 3-2. Despite taking a 3-1 advantage in the 83rd minute, Matt Friebaum scored 36 seconds later to bring the Spartans within one, but the Falcons held on and secured the victory.
 
The win kept Messiah undefeated on their year, as it pushed their record to 5-0-2 on the year. York fell to 3-4-1.
 
In the two teams' 13th meeting since 2005, the Falcons came out in search of an early goal, but were turned away by the Spartans' defense. Messiah took five shots in the first 20 minutes, but keeper Charlie Johnson saved three early attempts to keep the game scoreless.
 
In the 22nd minute, the Falcons broke through and opened the scoring. After Kirby Robbins got swarmed by Spartans defenders just outside the top of the box, he touched to the outside and dished to Colby Thomas along the right end line. Thomas took two touches toward the goal, and sent a ball across the box. Seemingly out of nowhere, Nick West flew in on the weakside and dove to head the ball past Johnson and into the net to give the Falcons the early advantage.
 
After falling behind, the Spartans ratcheted up the defensive intensity. Despite back-to-back Spartan yellow cards that gave the Falcons more goal-scoring opportunities, Messiah could only muster three shots the remainder of the half and took a 1-0 advantage into the break.
 
A few minutes in the second-half, York scored the equalizer they were searching for. On a deep ball sent into the edge of the box, an overly-aggressive Messiah defense was assessed a foul on a ball in the air, resulting in a free kick for the Spartans. Nathan Bilbie stepped up and ripped a shot from the edge of the 18 that snuck past a diving effort by Connor Bell and inside the right post to tie the game at one in the 51st minute.
 
The Falcons responded quickly, as Thomas put Messiah up for the second time on the evening 12 minutes later. From midfield, Josh Bender played Thomas into space along the right sideline about 40 yards out. The junior forward attacked all the way into the box, and ripped a shot that snuck past Johnson to put the Falcons back on top.
 
With only seven minutes remaining, Messiah scored again to bolster their lead. Kirby Robbins possessed the ball in the center of the field about 25 yards out, when he led Thomas on the right side toward the end line. The forward crossed the ball across the six-yard mark and again found West, who this time used his foot to tally the goal from the middle of the six. The goal was West's second of the night, and his first multi-goal game since almost exactly one year ago against Rowan on Sept. 19, 2015.
 
Despite the two-goal advantage, the Spartans would not go away quietly. Matt Friebaum took the ball along the right sideline and advanced into the box, his shot from 15 yards out on the right got by Bell and quickly drew the Spartans back within one with only seven minutes to play.
 
Despite a strong effort by York's offensive attack, the Falcons defense held strong and protected the lead in the waning moments. A corner kick with 2:27 to play proved to be the most dangerous moment for the Falcons, but a header by Barack Amige was blocked and cleared by Atu Galadima to safety. The Spartans' offense continued to press, but could not get off another shot in the final seconds as Messiah held on to win 3-2.
 
Messiah offensive attack showed its prowess again tonight, as the Falcons outshot the Spartans 15-8 on the night, which marks the seventh-consecutive game they have outshot their opponent.
 
The Falcons look to remain undefeated when they return to action Saturday afternoon when they travel to Dallas, Pa. to take on Misericordia University. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m.