GRANTHAM, Pa. – The eighteenth-ranked Messiah men's soccer team earned a dominant 4-0 win in the 2024 home opener against Cal Lutheran on Thursday evening. After some back-and-forth play,
Patrick Lee scored his first goal of the night on a header from a cross from
Sam Phillips to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead in the first half. A
Davis Pagett goal in the first three minutes of the second half, extended the Falcons lead to two.
Patrick Lee then finished off his hat-trick with two straight goals to give the Falcons a 4-0 win.
Up next, the Falcons host the Firebirds of Carthage College on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7:00 p.m.
First Half
After a couple of Falcons shot went wide of the net, the Kingsmen looked to get there first chance of the game. The Kingsmen got a great look at the goal from just inside the box, but
Adam Carter made a diving save to keep the game scoreless. The Falcons then continued to put the pressure on the Kingsmen and looked to score their first goal of the game in the 24th minute. After the Falcons passed the ball the around the Cal Lutheran defense,
Davis Pagett sent a ball into the near corner to
Sam Phillips. Phillips then sent a ball into the box, where
Patrick Lee got a head on the ball and knocked it into the net to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.
Second Half
The Falcons offense came out of the halftime break looking to add to their one-goal lead. The Falcons held possession in the offensive end and
Jarec Morlote started the play with a pass to the far side to
Sam Phillips. Phillips sent a pass to a streaking
Caleb Aldridge, who then sent a ball into the box.
Davis Pagett stepped in front of a Kingsmen defender and got a foot on the ball and it went into the left side of the goal to extend the Falcons lead to 2-0. The Falcons offense continued to put the pressure on the Cal Lutheran defense in the 56th minute. After a Kingsmen free kick,
Kyle Spodnik stole the ball and quickly sent a through ball to
Patrick Lee and Lee drove the ball under a diving Cal Lutheran goalkeeper for his second goal of the night. The
Sam Phillips to
Patrick Lee connection worked again in the 65th minute to give the Falcons a 4-0 lead and
Patrick Lee his first career hat trick.
The Falcons back line shut down the Kingsmen in the second half, allowing only one shot on goal.
Stats
Patrick Lee led the Falcons with a hat trick.
Davis Pagett added a goal.
Sam Phillips tallied two assists.
Kyle Spodnik tallied his first career assist. The Falcons totaled 23 shots with nine shots on goal. The Kingsmen tallied 11 shots with four shots on goal. Messiah earned nine corner kicks to Cal Lutheran's two.
Adam Carter earned the win in goal for the Falcons with three saves.
Killian O'Reilly also earned time in goal and made one save.
Next
The Falcons host the Firebirds of Carthage College on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7:00 p.m.
