Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Gettysburg trailed top-ranked and defending Division III national champion Messiah College just 1-0 in the 79th minute, but the Falcons added a pair of late goals and the Bullets suffered their first loss of the season, a 3-0 setback in non-conference action Wednesday evening at Clark Field.
 
Messiah (5-0) put up an early three-shot flurry, but sophomore Peter Como (Wilton, Conn./Wilton) made three saves in just over two minutes to keep the Falcons off the scoreboard. The visitors finally broke through in the 29th minute, with Mike Kovach arcing in a looping shot from the right wing.
 
The Falcons led 1-0 at halftime but held just an 8-5 advantage in shots over the opening period.
 
The Bullets (3-1) had a pair of near-misses to pull even early in the second half. Sophomore Henry Smith (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) had his free kick slam off the right post in the 52nd minute, and just over two minutes later the Orange and Blue appeared to have scored off a deflection in front of the net following another free kick. However, an offside call negated the goal.
 
Messiah outshot the Bullets 4-2 over the opening 33 minutes of the second half, but Gettysburg's back row held strong. Danny Brandt gave the Falcons some breathing room when he scored off a Colby Thomas assist in the 79th minute, and it remained a 2-0 game until Brian Ramirez accepted a corner kick and blasted in a shot from the top of the box with 32 seconds showing.
 
The Falcons finished with advantages in shots (16-7) and corners (7-4). Brandon West made one save to earn the shutout for Messiah while Como finished with a career-high five saves.
 
Gettysburg picks up its schedule on Saturday, when it visits Goucher College at 1 p.m. in another non-conference outing.