Box Score
READING, Pa. It was no secret heading into Wednesday night's Commonwealth Conference that the Albright College Lions (6-10-2/1-5 Commonwealth) had their hands full with the number two ranked team in the country, Messiah College (16-1/6-0 Commonwealth). The Lions responded to that task for at least 85 minutes of the contest, before the Falcons broke away with a pair of late goals to put away the home team 3-0 Wednesday evening at Shirk Stadium.
The red and white were able to hold off the Falcons for almost the entire first 45 minutes. It wasn't until a low corner in the twenty-third minute off the foot of Derek Black was driven into the box and redirected past goalkeeper #
Billy Howard# by Joshua Wood that the Falcons would get on the board. The goal was Wood's tenth of the season, and Black's second assist of the year.
The second half was more of the same for the two teams. Albright continued to play solid defense, and contain Messiah to few chances. Then with just under six minutes remaining, Brett Faro was able to connect on a header to notch his third goal of the season and put the Falcons up two. Assisting him on the goal was Nick Thompson, his seventh of the year.
Just over two minutes after that goal, the Falcons added one more goal for good measure when Wood connected for the second time of the evening, shooting the ball off of Howard and into the net for his eleventh of the year. Wood was able to score after redirecting a pass off the foot of Geoff Pezon.
It was a remarkable effort by the red and white who were playing down three starters, all on the defensive side of the pitch. Forward #
Mark Yost# found himself playing defense for almost the entire game, and did a great job of quarterbacking the backfield, coming up with key stops and tough defense throughout the evening.
#
Adam Toroniewski# led the way for the Lions offense, firing three shots, one of which was on goal. Yost and #
Brad Mease# were also able to contribute a shot a piece for the red and white.
The Lions return to action and conclude their season this Saturday with another home contest, this time against the Pride of Widener University. The game will part two of a soccer doubleheader with the men's game scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.
