Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Sophomore Martin Manilla tied a career-high with four goals, including the go-ahead tally with 6:02 remaining, and finished with a career-best five points as 12th-ranked Gettysburg held on to beat Messiah College 9-8 in non-conference action and the season opener for both teams Saturday afternoon a sunny and wind-blown Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium.

Senior Pat Sartory added three goals and an assist for the Bullets, who won their season opener for the seventh year in a row. Junior Bobby DeWees posted a goal and an assist while junior goalie #J.T. McCook# finished with seven saves.

Heath Kupecky led Messiah with two goals and an assist while Kyle Sproles contributed two goals. Jon Weimer stopped nine shots for the Falcons.

Messiah had a chance to tie it in the closing seconds, but senior defenseman Billy Grayson and a host of Bullets knocked the ball away from James Baden, who had made his way to the doorstep. McCook scooped up the ground ball as the final seconds ran out.

Manilla put the Bullets in front early when he scored with 9:37 left in the opening quarter. But the Falcons answered with three unanswered goals and took a 3-1 lead at the end of the first period.

Gettysburg came out of the second quarter on fire with two quick goals in 54 seconds. Manilla scored seven seconds off the opening face-off before freshman Jack Harvazinski struck off a Manilla feed with 14:06 showing for his first collegiate goal.

Messiah took its final lead of the day when Sproles scored with 12:55 left in the first half. The Bullets went in front 5-4 following goals from DeWees and Sartory before Kupecky tied it with 4:54 on the clock to make it 5-5 at the intermission.

The Bullets inched in front 7-5 on unassisted goals from Manilla and Sartory, but the Falcons pulled even once again on a Kevan Schellenburg goal and another Sproles tally with 28 seconds left in the quarter, making it 7-7 heading into the final 15 minutes.

Manilla put the Bullets in front to stay when he drove into the lane and, fighting through heavy contact, drilled in a straightaway goal to make it 8-7. Sartory added some insurance when he scored with 4:36 left before Baden cut it to one on a man-up goal with 1:16 showing.

The Bullets won the face-off but turned it over with less than a minute left, setting up Gettysburg's late defensive stand.

Sophomore Wes Lincoln was 9-for-15 on face-offs and picked up five ground balls for the Bullets.

Gettysburg returns home on Wednesday, when it takes on Goucher College in another non-conference tilt starting at 3:30 p.m.