Titans Suffer First Loss Of Season In NCAA Tournament Semifinal

Geoff Pezon and Danny Thompson both scored one goal and assisted on two others as two-time defending national champion Messiah College (Pa.) defeated UW-Oshkosh, 4-1, in a semifinal round match of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship held Friday (Dec. 3) in San Antonio, Texas.

Messiah College (22-1) searches for its eighth national title in 11 years when it plays Lynchburg College (Va.) on Saturday (Dec.4) in San Antonio. The Hornets (20-4-1) advanced to the championship match of the 60-team tournament with Friday's 2-1 overtime victory over Bowdoin College (Maine)

Messiah College and UW-Oshkosh (20-1-3) supplied fans an entertaining first half by combining for three scores and 15 shots, including 10 on goal.

Messiah College tallied the first two goals of the contest as Danny Thompson and Trevor Lee scored midway through the opening period. Danny Thompson put the Falcons ahead 1-0 when he collected a Pezon missed shot and scored in the 20th minute (19:37) of play. Messiah College doubled its lead when Lee scored off passes from Danny Thompson and Derek Black in the 31st minute (30:38).

UW-Oshkosh, which was appearing in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Championship for the fourth time in school history, sliced its deficit in half on a goal by Ryan Hanna (Fr. • Verona) in the 33rd minute (32:22) of action. Hanna scored his sixth goal of the season off a rebound of a Tim Stadler (Jr. • Wauwatosa) missed shot.

Scoring was at a stalemate until Messiah College erupted for a pair of goals in the final four minutes of play. The Falcons went in front 3-1 on Nick Thompson's assisted goal by Pezon and Kent Ramirez with 3:26 remaining and 4-1 on Pezon's assisted goal by Danny Thompson with 2:12 left.

Messiah College, which owns a 60-12-4 NCAA Division III posteason record, finished the contest with 18 shots and four corner kicks. The Falcons were led by the five shots of Pezon, four of Danny Thompson and two each of Lee, Ramirez and Nick Thompson.

UW-Oshkosh ended the match with 10 shots and three corner kicks. Hanna, Stadler, Brandon Briones (Sr. • Menasha) and Devon Prideaux (Sr. • Eden Prairie, Minn.) each attempted two shots for the Titans.

UW-Oshkosh goalkeeper James Pike (Jr. • Wauwatosa) saved four shots, including three in the first half. Messiah College goalkeeper Jake Berry saved all three of his shots in the first half. The Falcons also had a defender record a save in the opening period as well.

UW-Oshkosh concluded its 12th NCAA Division III postseason appearance with a third-place finish. The Titans also placed third in 1994, 2000 and 2003.