Story Courtesy of Messiah Athletics
GRANTHAM, Pa. – On Thursday evening, the fourteenth-ranked Falcons of Messiah University defeated the Spartans of York College, 4-3 in an overtime thriller. The Spartans opened the scoring with a goal in the 11th minute to take an early lead. The Falcons responded just two minutes later with a Sam Phillips goal from Owen Resch to tie the game. The Falcons continued on the attack and Resch scored off a penalty kick to take a 2-1 lead in the 25th minute. The Spartans tied the game just a minute later off a corner. The Spartans kept on the attack and took the lead in the 32nd minute to give York a 3-2 lead at the break. After some back-and-forth play, the Falcons tied the game with a goal from Gabe Redcay by Grant Shreiner in the 72nd minute. The Falcons made a team save at the end line in the 90th minute to send the game into overtime. The Falcons controlled play during overtime and Sam Phillips scored the game-winner from Caleb Daniels in the 97th minute to give the Falcons the 4-3 win.
Up next, the Falcons travel to Aston, Pa. to take on the Knights of Neumann University on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the MAC Commonwealth Championship game.
First Half
The Spartans started the game strong with a shot on goal in the third minute, but Killian O'Reilly made the save to keep the game tied. The Falcons got their first chance on the game in the sixth minute with a shot on goal from Owen Resch off a free kick, but the Spartans' goalkeeper made the save to keep the game scoreless early. The Spartans got on the board first with a goal in the 11th minute. Just two minutes later, the Falcons looked to tie the game with a corner kick. Resch sent the corner towards the near post and Sam Phillips jumped up and headed the ball into the bottom-right corner to tie the game. After some back-and-forth play, the Falcons looked to add to their lead in the 25th minute. After dribbling into the box, Resch was fouled and earned a penalty kick. Resch sent the PK into the bottom-left corner to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead. The Spartans quickly responded with a goal off a corner kick to tie the game at two in the 26th minute. The Spartans continued on the attack and retook the lead with a goal in the 32nd minute. Neither team added a goal the rest of the way and Spartans took a 3-2 lead into the break.
Second Half
After some back-and-forth play, the Falcons looked to tie the game in the 62nd minute. Sam Phillips and Owen Resch sent back-to-back shots on goal, but the York goalkeeper made a pair of saves to keep the Spartans lead. In the 72nd minute, the Falcons looked to tie the game. The Falcons held possession in the attacking third and Grant Shreiner sent a ball to Gabe Redcay at the top-left corner of the box. Redcay sent a shot on goal, that was shielded by a York defender, and past a diving York goalkeeper to tie the game at three. The Spartans had one final chance to get the game-winner in the 90th minute. The Spartans sent a shot on goal, but a Falcons' defender made the save on the back line to send the game to overtime.
Overtime
The Falcons started on the attack to open the first overtime period. Owen Resch sent a shot on goal, but the Spartans goalkeeper made a sliding save to keep the game tied. A few minutes later, Sam Phillips ripped a shot on goal, but it rang off the crossbar to keep the game tied. The Falcons continued on the attack and Owen Resch sent a shot on goal that went off the York's goalkeeper hands, and then a York defender made a sliding stop at the end line to prevent the game-winner. A minute later, the Falcons looked to score the game-winner off a corner. Resch sent the corner into play and Caleb Daniels flicked the ball towards the middle of the box. Phillips ripped a left-footed shot off the bounce and into the bottom left corner to give the Falcons the 4-3 win.
Stats
Sam Phillips led the Falcons with two goals. Owen Resch totaled a goal and an assist. Gabe Redcay also scored a goal. Caleb Daniels and Grant Shreiner each tallied an assist. The Falcons totaled 21 shots with 13 shots on goal. The Spartans tallied 15 shots with seven shots on goal. Messiah earned eight corner kicks to York's six. Killian O'Reilly earned the win with three saves.
Next
The Falcons travel to Aston, Pa. to take on the Knights of Neumann University on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the MAC Commonwealth Championship game.