Dallas, PA – Messiah and Misercordia each scored goals in the first-half, but neither could tally in the remaining 65 minutes of action, which led to a draw Saturday afternoon.
 
Brit Haseltine scored his fourth goal of the season five minutes into play, but a Cougar goal with only nine seconds remaining in the first-half tied the game just before the break. The Falcons got seven shots off in the second-half and overtime, but failed to score that elusive go-ahead goal.
 
The tie kept Messiah undefeated on the season, as they moved to 5-0-3 on the year. The Cougars go to 4-3-1.
 
The Falcons' quick start began on Jacob Bender's corner kick into the middle of the box, that went over to the right side of the six-yard mark. A Cougar defender attempted to clear the corner, but his clear only travelled to the edge of the box, where Brit Haseltine used his thigh to knock it down and ripped a shot from 16 yards out. His shot smoked past keeper Matt Smith and inside the right post for the forward's fourth goal of the season, and an early 1-0 lead.
 
A few minutes later, Anthony Ippolito and the Cougars thought they had their equalizer. Ippolito's ripped a shot off a cross that looked as if it was going to sneak inside the right post, but Connor Bell's dive helped him punch the ball away to keep the Falcons' lead.
 
Both teams continued to attack offensively, but neither managed to generate a lot of offense the remainder of the first-half. The Falcons had four shots, including two on goal in the opening frame, but none truly threatened the Cougars' defense.
 
With a halftime lead appearing imminent, the Cougars managed to score with just nine seconds remaining to deflate the Falcons' momentum. Dante Ippolito played a ball into a crowd of people into the center of the box and the ball rolled to the left edge of the six. Bell knocked the ball down on a scramble, but Will Cochran's attempted clear deflected off the head Russell Hines and into the back of the net to tie the game.
 
After the moment of fortune by Misericorida, the two teams played the majority of the remainder of the game in the midfield. The Falcons managed to put three of their four second-half shots on frame, but couldn't get the game-winner in regulation.
 
Their best opportunity came with just two minutes to play in regulation, when Nick West split two defenders on the dribble and attacked to the left edge of the box. West's cross drifted to the center of the box where Kirby Robbins put a head on it, but the ball sailed just high of the crossbar.
 
The overtime periods were much of the same, with neither team creating a good opportunity. The Falcons managed to get three shots off in overtime compared to the Cougars' one, but none would break the tie before the end of the 20 extra minutes.
 
Messiah outshot their opponent 16-8 on the afternoon, including an 8-4 advantage on shots-on-goal, but seven saves by Cougars' keeper Matt Smith kept the Falcons from getting the win.
 
The tie with Misericordia marks the first time Messiah has had three draws in a season since 2003, when the Falcons finished the year 18-2-3.
 
The Falcons will look to get back in the win column Wednesday night when they take on rival Elizabethtown College on Shoemaker Field. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.