GLENSIDE, Pa. – The No. 1 Messiah men's soccer team scored once in each half en route to a 2-0 victory over the Arcadia Knights to end the regular season with a 15-0-2 overall record and an 8-0-0 mark in the MAC Commonwealth. Luke Brautigam scored in the 32nd minute off a header-assist from David Alejos and Adam Cole added a late insurance goal off a long cross from Micah Fitz in the 86th minute.
 
The Falcons will now be off for 10 days before taking the field in the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals on Thursday, Nov. 1 as the top-seed in the conference tournament.
 
In addition to the 2-0 victory, Tuesday's game marked the end of one of the most remarkable individual efforts in Messiah history. Nick West was held scoreless for the first time in nearly two months, halting a 15-game scoring streak for the Messiah senior. His streak is the longest in Messiah men's soccer history and ties the record for longest streak in NCAA Division III history.
 
Limited Chances
The Falcons and Knights traded early opportunities in the first 15 minutes with Justin Brautigam sent a shot wide in the fourth minute. Just over five minutes later, the Knights registered their first shot when Ryan Hammer sent a look wide of the cage.
 
Messiah had the next two quality looks, but a shot from Jonathan Groothoff was saved in the 12th minute and Brautigam headed a ball outside the post in the 13th minute. Messiah keeper Conner Bell was tested for the first time in the 16th minute, but he turned away an attempt by Harun Abdullahi in the 16th minute and the game remained scoreless into the 32nd minute.
 
Breaking Through and Adding Insurance
Messiah earned the first tally of the game in the 32nd minute when a beautiful cross from the right-side found the head of David Alejos on the back post. Alejos headed the ball back toward the middle of the box for a waiting Luke Brautigam. A quick shot by Brautigam followed and Messiah held a 1-0 lead.
 
The goal was Brautigam's second of the season while Alejos picked up his sixth helper of the season.
 
Messiah held that 1-0 lead late into the match, until Adam Cole finished a feed from Micah Fitz in the 86th minute. Fitz sent a long ball in from the left-side toward the back post and Cole ran onto the cross for a one-time shot inside the right-post for the 2-0 Messiah lead.
 
All Good Things Must Come to an End
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end and Tuesday marked the end of a historic streak for Messiah senior Nick West. After being held scoreless in the Falcons' opener on Aug. 31, West proceeded to score in each of the 15 matches for the Falcons.
 
The streak shattered the previous Messiah men's soccer record of nine consecutive games with a goal and also tied the all-time NCAA Division III record of 15 games set previously by Johns Hopkins' Matthew Doran (Sept. 2 – Nov. 1, 2000) and St. Joseph's (LI) Tim Trava (Sept. 14-Nov. 2, 2002).
 
What's Up Next
Messiah will now sit and wait to see who they will host in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals. Thanks to their perfect 8-0-0 record in conference this season, Messiah has locked up the No. 1 seed and will host the winner of Tuesday's play-in game between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds on Thursday night (Nov. 1) at 7:00 p.m. on Shoemaker Field.