GRANTHAM, Pa. – Hello, Final Four. It's good to be back. 
 
No. 9 Messiah men's soccer scored two goals in the second-half goals and kept Rochester from getting on the board in a 2-0 win on Sunday afternoon. The victory sealed the Falcons' 22nd win and sent them back to the NCAA Division III Final Four for both the 15th time in program history and first time since 2013.
 
Justin Brautigam tallied the winner in the 64' off a brilliant header, and Nick West all-but-sealed the win in the 81' with an emphatic goal in transition. Messiah moved to 22-2 overall, while Rochester finished their season at 14-3-2.
 
As mentioned, the Falcons will now enter the Final Four for the first time since 2013, the same year they won their last of Division III-record 10 National Championships.
 
Old Foe, New Challenge
Messiah and Rochester matched up for the fourth time in NCAA Tournament history, and the first time since the Falcons took a 2-1 win over the Yellowjackets in the 2009 Sectional Final. Yesterday both teams battled through steady—and sometimes torrential—rainfall to get to today's Sectional Final. At game time today the rains were gone, but heavy side-to-side winds were in their place.
 
The wind certainly kept the teams off-balance, especially at the start. Nevertheless, Messiah found a great look in the box in just the 12' when Danny Brandt led Nick West into the box on the left side. West turned the corner and pressed toward the post before sending a quick pass across the frame to Colby Thomas. He stepped on the ball and tried to shoot, but had to make another touch by a defender before seeing his shot blocked.
 
That early attempt by Messiah was matched by Rochester in the 19' when the Falcons' defense turned it over on the left side. Josh Cooley quickly attacked into the box and fired low across the box, but Connor Bell made a diving save to tip it wide of the far post. That was Bell's first of four saves in the game, and it was probably his best.
 
From midway through the first-half until the end of the game Messiah controlled pace and territory, with the Yellowjackets collecting only two shots before the Falcons managed to get on the board.
 
Moment(s) of Brilliance
The Falcons finally found the game-changing moment in the 64', and it was nothing short of brilliant. Nick West carried possession down the left side and beat his mark on the end line for a sharp serve to the far side of the goal box. Justin Brautigam was there waiting, and he sent a header with perfect precision inside the right post for what proved to be the game-winner.
 
The goal was just the second on the season for Brautigam, and also his first since the Falcons' second game back on Sept. 2. Nevertheless, the score was huge considering the Yellowjackets allowed just six shots on goal to the Falcons throughout.
 
To that point, Messiah's next shot on goal was their last and, much to the enjoyment of the home fans, it also went through. The play came in the 81' when Colby Thomas weaved through three defenders on the right side and got into the box to draw keeper Redd Brown of his line. Thomas quickly slotted across the box to the weakside, and Nick West hit a hard one-timer past a scrambling Brown to make it 2-0.
 
West's goal was his 14th on the season, tying Kirby Robbins for the team lead. It also marked the third time this season he's collected a goal and a helper in the same match.
 
Up Next
The Falcons will now be off for almost two weeks, and they'll prepare to face Brandeis University in the Final Four on Friday, Dec. 1 at 5:00 p.m. The Judges are in the Final Four for the second-straight year and fifth time in program history. They are 17-4 on the season and have won each of their last three NCAA Tournament games by 1-0 scores, including today in double-overtime over Tufts.