BOX SCORE

Grantham, PA (September 17, 2011) – For the second straight year the DeSales University men's soccer team scored first but was unable to hold off Messiah College as the Falcons scored three unanswered goals to earn a 3-1 win over the Bulldogs in front of a packed house at Messiah on Saturday night.

Messiah (5-0-1), winners of eight of the last 11 NCAA Division III National Championships, found itself down 1-0 early when senior Derek Long flicked a shot past the Falcon keeper off a long throw-in from junior Tyler Nolan at the 6:14 mark.

The lead however lasted just 6:09 as Aaron Myers got the game-tying goal at the 12:23 mark on a through ball that got by a charging Bulldog keeper and Myers was there to knock it home.  The game remained deadlocked throughout the rest of the half as Messiah out-shot DeSales, 18-4, in the opening 45 minutes of play.

In the second half, Messiah came out firing, hitting the post and just missing on several chances early in the half before finally breaking through with an unassisted goal off the boot of Mike Kovach in the 73rd minute.  Jack Thompson added the insurance marker just 5:21 later as the Bulldogs ran out of gas.

The Falcons finished the game with a 37-7 advantage in shots and a 13-4 edge in corner kicks.  Sophomore Mike Thompson made 10 saves for DeSales in goal.

The Bulldogs will return to action on Tuesday when they come home to host Immaculata University in the first home game of the regular season beginning at 4:00 pm.