GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Messiah men's soccer team defended their home field advantage on Saturday afternoon, defeating the second-seeded Lycoming Warriors 2-1 on Shoemaker Field to claim the 18th Conference Title in program history. After a scoreless opening half, Messiah struck twice after the break with tallies from Trevor Goodling (48th minute) and Luke Groothoff (81st minute) to take a 2-0 lead late in the match.
 
The Warriors continued to pressure in the final minutes, forcing Messiah keeper Nate Flanders to make a number of spectacular plays to keep the Falcons' lead steady at 2-0.
 
Lycoming finally broke through in the 90th minute, but with just 40 seconds remaining in the game after the score, Messiah was able to hold on for the 2-1 victory, punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Thanks to his play down the stretch on Saturday, Nate Flanders was named the Most Valuable Player in the Tournament. Messiah has now claimed 15 Conference Titles in the last 20 years.
 
Scoreless Battle to Start
The Falcons and Warriors played a scoreless opening half with the two teams fighting for possession and control throughout the period. The Falcons held a slight, 5-4 edge in shots during the opening period. The play was physical from both sides with the two teams combining for 19 fouls in the first 45 minutes.
 
Lycoming committed 13 in the first half while the Falcons were whistled for six.
 
Despite the nine combined shots, only one went on target in the first half. Lycoming's Colin Wieand tested Messiah's Nate Flanders in the 21st minute to his right. Flanders made the first of his nine saves in the match to keep the match scoreless.
 
Quick Strike in the Second-Half
After a scoreless opening half, the Falcons wasted little time getting on the board after the break. In the 48th minute, Lucas Kokolios sent a long ball into the middle of the box from right in front of the Falcons' bench. Luke Groothoff was in the box, waiting for the delivery, but was sandwiched between a pair of defenders and unable to meet the feed in the air.
 
As a result, the pass bounced once at the top of the six and Trevor Goodling came out of nowhere to meet the bouncing ball. Streaking from the left-side of the pitch, Goodling hit a header that went into the right-side netting for the 1-0 Messiah lead.
 
Adding Insurance
The next half hour felt like the opening half with play going from end-to-end in an extremely physical battle. Nate Flanders was tested five times during the stretch, but came up with saves on all five attempts to keep the Falcons' lead.
 
In the 81st minute, the Warriors earned a corner kick, but Messiah cleared the ball out of danger and quickly went on the break. Reid Ruark sprung Lucas Kokolios loose down the left-side and Kokolios sent a pass ahead to Brit Haseltine. With defenders collapsing around him, Haseltine slotted a pass back to Luke Groothoff in the middle of the box. With time, Groothoff settled the ball and sent a shot into the left-side netting for a 2-0 Messiah lead.
 
Big Saves from the MVP
With the Falcons holding a 2-0 lead, Nate Flanders kept it there with a handful of key saves in the final minutes. Highlighting the final push from the Warriors were shots in the 86th, 87th, and 88th minutes. Flanders saved all three, including a diving save off a header shot in the 88th minute.
 
Flanders made nine saves in the game and despite the Warriors finding the back of the net in the 90th minute, was honored as the MAC Commonwealth Tournament's Most Valuable Player.
 
Messiah claimed the 2-1 victory to earn their 18th Conference Championship in program history, clinching their spot in the 2019 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament.
 
What's Up Next
Messiah will find out what the NCAA Tournament has instore for them on Monday afternoon when they NCAA Selection Show is aired on NCAA.com at 1:30 p.m. Messiah will be making their 30th appearance in the NCAA Tournament this season.