YORK, PA - The York College Spartans defeated #3 Messiah
College, the defending national champions, 2-1 in men's
soccer action Tuesday evening. With the victory, York
improves to 13-1 (5-1 CAC) on the year, while the Falcons snap
their eleven game winning-streak and drop to 11-2.
During the opening stanza the Spartans looked very sharp
controlling the tempo of the match. Jon Ports
(Baltimore, Md. / McDonogh) was all over the pitch
frustrating Messiah's defense with his constant energy.
The Spartans rattled off eight of the first nine shots of the game,
as the Falcons only serious threat of the first 25 minutes came on
a Kai Kasiguran free kick at 5:38.
Even as the home squad got the better of the play, the score at
the halftime break remained at zero. For the period, the
green and white tallied eleven shots and three corners, while
Messiah was only able to record a trio of attempts at goal to go
along with a pair of corners.
Opening up the second half in fine fashion, the Spartans got on
the board within the first 21 seconds. Ports collected the
ball on the right side of the pitch, beat his defender, and tucked
his shot just inside the far left post barely out of the reach of
Falcon goalkeeper Nick Blossey. Ports' team-leading
eleventh tally of the year gave the green and white a 1-0
advantage.
Nearly ten minutes later at 54:32, senior Jason Mancuso
(Toms River, N.J. / Toms River North) finished off a loose
ball in front of the Falcon net. Midfielder Kurt Lane
(Cochranville, Pa. / Octorara) challenged Blossey on a
high ball in the box as neither could gain control. Finding
the loose ball at his feet, Mancuso connected to give the Spartans
the two goal lead. The score was Mancuso's ninth of the
season, while Lane's assist was his first in 2007.
Messiah battled back and continued to work despite being down
two. The hard work paid off in the 73rd minute when Patrick
Lenehan snapped a header that cut the Spartan lead to one. A
lofted ball by Geoff Pezon provided Lenehan with a great
opportunity and the senior capitalized. Lenehan leads the
Falcons in scoring as he now has seven goals on the year.
Lenehan's tally would be the only score allowed by the
Spartans, as York closed out the final 17 minutes without
surrendering another shot on goal.
Matt Detzel (York, Pa. / Central York) played
exceptionally well controlling the midfield for the York
side. The senior made several outstanding tackles and paced
the green and white with his steady play from the central midfield.
For the match York led 18-6 in shots while Messiah edged the
Spartans in corners 7-5.
Spartan goalkeeper Kyle Marks (Yardley, Pa. /
Pennsbury) was not forced to make a save during his 90
minutes of work but did thwart several Falcon opportunities.
Blossey registered seven saves for the Falcons to keep his side in
the match.
The Spartans travel to Wesley College this Friday in a Capital
Athletic Conference match-up. Game time in Dover, Del. is
scheduled for 7:00 pm.
GAME BOX
