Messiah Captures Top Seed in Commonwealth Playoffs With 3-0 Win at Elizabethtown

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ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Visiting Messiah College scored three goals in a span of 3 minutes, 46 seconds spanning the halves to capture a 3-0 victory over Elizabethtown College in Commonwealth Conference men's soccer action at Ira R. Herr Field on Monday afternoon.

Matt Dorsey and Mike Rinker scored in the final two minutes of the first half while Patrick Lenehan tallied in the first two minutes of the second half as the fourth-ranked Falcons (17-2 overall, 5-0 Commonwealth) secured the top seed in the conference playoffs, which begin Wednesday.

Messiah will host Albright in one semifinal match at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, while the defending champion Blue Jays (13-5 overall, 3-2 Commonwealth) will travel to Lycoming for a 3:00 p.m. match. The winners will meet Saturday for the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Messiah tallied the game's first goal with 1:54 left in the first half as Dorsey took a short pass from Eric Frey and netted his third goal of the season. The Falcons extended their lead to 2-0 with just 2.3 seconds left in the half as Rinker tipped a pass from Sean Cunningham into the Blue Jay net for his sixth goal of the year.

With 1:52 gone in the second half, Lenehan gave Messiah a 3-0 lead with his 12th goal of the year to the far upper corner. Meanwhile, the Falcon defense yielded just one shot in the second half.

Messiah finished with a 15-5 edge in shots and a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks over Elizabethtown.

Junior Jeff Mullen (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) made five saves in goal for the Blue Jays, while Jared Clugston made three stops for the Falcons.

Messiah (16-2, 5-0 Comm.) vs. Elizabethtown (13-5, 3-2 Comm.)
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
Messiah College..... 2 1 - 3
Elizabethtown Coll.. 0 0 - 0

SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 43:06 MESS Matt Dorsey (Eric Frey)
2. 44:58 MESS Mike Rinker (Sean Cunningham)
3. 46:52 MESS Patrick Lenehan (unassisted)

Shots: Messiah 15, Elizabethtown 5
Corners: Messiah 5, Elizabethtown 1
Saves: Messiah 3 (Jared Clugston 3), Elizabethtown 5 (Jeff Mullen 5)