YORK, PA. – The Messiah mens lacrosse team lost a tight 21-19 game to the No.1 seed in the conference York College of Pa. The Falcons and Spartans both scored six goals in the first quarter to keep the game tied. The Spartans outscored the Falcons 8-4 in the second quarter to jump to a 14-10 lead at the half. The Falcons looked to comeback in the third, but the Spartans answered every Falcons goal to lead 19-14 headed into the fourth quarter. The Falcons cut the deficit to three with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth, but could not get any closer until a goal with 17 seconds remaining made the final score 21-19. Bobby Berg led the Falcons with seven points on five goals and two assists. Chad Teresky totaled six points on three goals and three assists. Mike McKnelly tallied five goals. 
 
The Falcons will head to Owings Mills, MD for a match up in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals against the second-seeded Mustangs of Stevenson University. The game is set for Wednesday, May 1 with a time to be determined.
 
First Quarter
The Falcons were in lock step with the Spartans for the entirety of the first quarter. Chad Teresky got on the board for the first goal of the game to make it 1-1. From that point on Messiah continued to answer every goal the Spartans offered. Bobby Berg scored the go-ahead goal in the final seconds of the first, but a late Spartan goal tied the game at 6-6 heading into the second quarter.
 
Second Quarter
The Falcons had a strong opening four minutes to the second quarter, but following a Jesse Lynch goal the Spartans would go on a 5-0 run to give them a 12-8 lead with 5:09 left in the half. Berg would break up the run with a goal in the third minute. Following two more goals from the Spartans, Messiah would close out the half with a late Owen Hammel goal to cut the deficit to 14-10.
 
Third Quarter
Lynch opened up the scoring for the Falcons to begin the second half, cutting the Spartan lead to 14-11. However, York continued to find the back of the net holding on to their lead through the seven-minute mark. Mike McKnelly would get on the board for the first time, as to keep the Falcons within striking distance at 17-13. Messiah again would close out the quarter with a goal thanks to McNelly finding his 56^th goal of the season bringing the score to 19-14.
 
Fourth Quarter
The Falcons defense stiffened up in the fourth quarter holding the Spartans offense to just two goals. RJ Mellor netted an early goal to again bring the Falcons within four. After a Spartan goal, Tristan Lynch and Teresky would score the Falcons first back-to-back goals in the game to cut the York lead too 20-17. York managed to grab another goal that proved to be the dagger, despite both McKnelly and Teresky scoring in the final minutes the Spartans captured the 21-19 win.
 
Next
The Falcons will head to Owings Mills, MD for a match up in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals against the second-seeded Mustangs of Stevenson University. The game is set for Wednesday, May 1 with a time to be determined.