Gilbert Waso vs. Messiah 9/30/15
Matthew O'Haren
0
Messiah MESSM (5-3-1)
1
Winner Elizabethtown ETWN-M (8-1-1)
Messiah MESSM
(5-3-1)
0
Final
1
Elizabethtown ETWN-M
(8-1-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Messiah MESSM 0 0 0
Elizabethtown ETWN-M 1 0 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Blue Jays restore rivalry, top Messiah 1-0

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Gilbert Waso provided a first half goal and the defense stood tall in the final minutes as Elizabethtown College men's soccer snapped a 10-game winless streak against Messiah with a 1-0 win Wednesday night in front of a standing-room only crowd at Ira R. Herr Field.

It was a tale of two halves, as the Blue Jays burst out of the gate with eight first-half shots and five corners. The Falcons, on the other hand, would get stronger as the game progressed, increasing their offensive output with 10 shots in the second half and earning seven of their 11 corners.

Less than 10 minutes in, off a Martin Fevre corner, Jack Rudy's header was kept out by the Falcon defense to preserve the scoreless game and moments later Messiah (5-3-1) keeper Jonathan Weaver stopped Waso from the left side of the 18.

The Blue Jay defense of Sam Feehrer, Anders Nilsson, Fevre and Rudy rose to the occasion all night, along with senior keeper Rodrigo Barrera. Unlike many of the games between these two in recent memory, E-town (8-1-1) kept Messiah's offensive chances to a minimum at times. The visitors were held without a shot for 39 straight minutes during the first half before Robby Johnson's header at 40:44 was denied by Barrera.

Waso, not lacking for highlights over his first 10 games in an Elizabethtown uniform, provided his biggest yet in the 40th minute.

Receiving a ball in the midfield, Waso turned right on a defender, beat him and raced towards the 18. The rookie popped a shot from just outside the 18 that sailed off the crossbar and in past a diving Weaver for a 1-0 Elizabethtown lead.

A mere 19 seconds into the second half, Jeff Light had an opportunity to extend the lead when he cut in from the left side and fired a shot, but Weaver was able to make the stop. Messiah would continue to bring pressure, but Barrera made three of his four saves to keep the Falcons off the board.

With just under eight minutes left, Nilsson took away a prime scoring chance for Messiah, sliding to separate Jacob Bender from the ball inside the middle of the 18 before Bender could get a shot off.

Wednesday's clean sheet was the Blue Jays' fifth of the season and Barrera's fourth.

Elizabethtown emerged victorious against their nemesis from Grantham for the first time since the 2006 Commonwealth Conference Semifinals when Michael Terry's goal lifted the Jays to a 1-0 upset of the nationally top-ranked Falcons. That game was also win No. 400 for Skip Roderick, who moved to within seven of 500 with his latest victory.

The Blue Jays got a game-high four shots from Waso (three on goal) and two each from Light and Shane Votto. Messiah, with its 10 second-half shots, still managed to hold a 13-12 edge at game's end. Danny Rowe led the Falcons with three shots.

E-town will look to move to 3-0 in the Landmark Conference Saturday when it hosts Moravian at 7 p.m.
 
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