GRANTHAM, Pa. – Kirby Robbins found a single moment of brilliance and No. 5 Messiah men's soccer held off an impressive No. 9 Johns Hopkins squad to win 1-0 on Shoemaker Field. Robbins' goal came in the 83' and the Falcons turned away a few dangerous chances in the final minutes to earn the win.
 
The decision moved each team to an identical 11-1 on the season.
 
End-to-End in the Beginning
The teams combined for just five shots in the first period, but it was nevertheless back-and-forth as each team was looking for an advantage. In the 25' Messiah found the period's best chance for a goal when Dakota Rosenberg ran onto a loose ball just inside the 18 and fired to the left side of the goal. Keeper Bryan See scrambled to cover, but was bailed out when Rosenberg's shot deflected off a defender's back and wide of the post.
 
Messiah collected five corners in the first-half, most which generated dangerous looks in the air and near the goal.
 
Slow the Pace
After the break the game slowed considerably when Hopkins moved to four across the backline. The adjustment helped them settle against Messiah's pressure, and it also caused the first 30 minutes of the frame to be played primarily in the midfield.
 
As the game entered the final stretch Messiah managed to turn the field, and with less than 10 minutes to play Kirby Robbins used some fantastic footwork—and a lot of field—to create the game-winner tally. David Alejos started the action about 45 yards on the left side when he cut middle and fed Robbins on a post-up. Robbins took the ball about five yards off the left corner of the 18, and he turned middle himself to streak to the midfield. He weaved through multiple defenders to get middle, pushed a heavy touch to himself to beat another, and quickly turned all the way into the right side of the box for a shot. The strike across the ground was perfect as it went beyond the dive of See and inside the far post.
 
The goal was Robbins' team-leading ninth of the season.
 
In the Box
Hopkins outshot the Falcons 10-9, but Messiah managed to put one more on frame (4-3) than the visitors. See and Messiah goalie Conner Bell each finished with three saves, with See's leaping grab of Danny Brandt's chip shot in the 85' being the best of the bunch.
 
Up Next
Messiah will next play on Wednesday, Oct. 11 when they host MAC Commonwealth foe Arcadia University. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.