BUFFALO, N.Y. – With the clock ticking off the final minute of regulation, Samuel Ruiz Plaza sent through the game's only goal to lead No. 10 Messiah over Hobart and into the NCAA Sweet 16. The score effectively ended a wild back-and-forth instant classic between the Falcons and Statesmen that included countless heart-stopping moments for each team.
 
The loss for Hobart ends their season at 11-5-4, while Messiah moved to 20-2.
 
Moment of Brilliance
Fast forward to the 90' and the game was scoreless, with tensions building and momentum building toward overtime. Hobart keeper Alec Kaminer launched a goal kick as the clocked was under a minute, and Justin Brautigam won possession for Messiah with a header in the midfield. Messiah quickly turned forward, and Kirby Robbins laid a pass to the left side for Nick West, and he carried all the way down to the edge of the box before sending a low cross to the middle of the box.
 
As was the case to that point, the Statesmen defense appeared able to clear it away, but the ball skipped through the box and was knocked loose to Samuel Ruiz Plaza atop the 18. He ran on for a one-timer through the defense that Kaminer couldn't reach, with the ball going sharply inside the left post for a climatic score.  
 
The goal for Ruiz Plaza was his third of the season, and his first since Sept. 15.
 
Seconds later, the Statesmen found a good look from 15 yards out, but Hunter Critchlow's offering wasn't struck sharply enough and Connor Bell made the last grab of the match.
 
The result was Messiah's second 1-0 win in as many days, and it secured the 21st NCAA Sweet 16 in program history.
 
Edge of Your Seat
The Falcons and Statesmen combined for 33 shots, 11 corners, and 10 saves, with Bell and Kaminer collecting five saves each. The game also saw just 13 fouls as the two teams went toe-to-toe looking for a score.
 
Messiah had great chances throughout, including a transition look from Colby Thomas in the 19' that was tipped past the post by Kaminer. Back-to-back corners followed off that attempt, but Messiah came up empty. The Falcons also came within inches in the 81' when Cooper Robbins took a corner serve from Danny Brandt and sent a header to the front post. His shot went right inside the post, but Kaminer made a diving stop and managed to keep the ball from cross the goal line.
 
The Falcons' pressure continued into the final minutes, and they earned a free kick from 25 yards out in the midfield that Nick West put into the wall. He quickly gathered the rebound, however, and cut to the left side of the box for a terrific shot across the box that went just wide of the far post. That shot set up Kaminer's final goal kick that led to the tally by Ruiz Plaza.
 
Hats Off to the Statesmen
Tonight's match will long be remembered in Messiah lore, no doubt also because of how close Hobart came to upsetting the Falcons. They put just one less shot on goal than Messiah (6-5) and they earned an even amount of territory, especially in the second-half. The Falcons' defense was forced to clear out multiple dangerous balls played in the box, and they also benefitted from fortune in the 59' of play. In what was their most heart-stopping attempt at a goal, Patrick Schulz put a header on a corner serve that bounced down off the turf and up off the crossbar before Messiah kicked it away.
 
Up Next
The win for Messiah moves them into a Sweet 16 match-up with Stevens Institute. The Ducks are 13-6-2 overall and won two one-goal games of their own thus far in the NCAA Tournament: 1-0 over Middlebury in the First Round, and 2-1 over No. 15 SUNY Cortland in the Second Round.
 
The location and game time for next Saturday is yet to be determined.