WILKES-BARRE, PA (April 14, 2021) -- Senior
Gabe Vansuch scored with 50 seconds to go in regulation to force overtime, but Messiah University's Owen Joyce tallied with 43 seconds left in the first extra period to give the visiting Falcons a 9-8 win over the King's College men's lacrosse team in non-conference action from McCarthy Stadium.
The game was as close as it possibly could get, as the two teams were tied at the end of each period heading into overtime. King's (1-7) came out quick, which has been a staple this year for the Monarchs, tallying the first goal of the game as first-year
Ryan Barnes scored with help from Vansuch.
After a Messiah goal to tie the game, Barnes answered again before Christian Santangini netted his first of the day for MU (3-5) to make it 2-2 going to the second. The offensive units came to life some in the season, as senior
Michael O'Brien scored unassisted to get the goals going and give King's a 3-2 lead.
Messiah answered O'Brien's goal with three of its own including two by Joyce to take the game's largest lead of the night at 5-3 with 7:10 to go in the half. Vansuch would score on his patented quick-stick 1:06 later on a dish from
Brendan Gambino, and first-year
Joe Giannella also netted his fifth of the season to make it 5-5 going into halftime.
After halftime, King's answered an early Falcon goal with one of its own on the same Vansuch-Gambino connection to highlight a low-scoring third quarter. Much of that was due to solid defensive play and great goalkeeping. In the period, the defensive units of Messiah and King's combined to force 17 giveaways.
In the fourth quarter, the momentum started to sway towards Messiah as it outshot the Monarchs 11-5 in the period. Sophomore
Matt Wall, making his first collegiate start, was up to the task as he made eight stops in the final 15 minutes of regulation to keep King's in the game.
Barnes would put King's ahead with an amazing unassisted goal at 11:36 of the fourth quarter, making the score 7-6 in favor of the hosts. Messiah scored the next two goals to regain its lead, as Santangini potted a shot with 4:13 left to make it 8-7.
After the Falcons won the next face-off, Messiah would have three shots to double its lead by Wall made stops on all three attempts before King's forced a turnover to get the ball back with 1:33 to go in regulation. After a timeout, the Monarchs forced a pass in front which was deflected, but Vansuch scooped up the loose ball and scored falling to the ground to send the game to extra time.
In overtime, King's fended off the first attempt on goal thanks to a save from Wall, getting a possession with 1:22 to go. After a turnover though from KC, Messiah cleared the ball, called a timeout and moments later would win the game on Joyce's third of the game off a feed from Sam Stone from behind the net.
Vansuch finished with three goals and an assist, as his first goal was his 50th of his King's career. Gambino led all players with three assists for King's, and Barnes tallied a career-high three goals on five shots on goal. Senior
Trevor Douenias was 14-of-21 (66.7 percent) on face-offs, adding nine ground balls, while defensive middie
Alex Tristan picked up five loose balls.
Long stick midfielder
Patrick Burnham had a strong game for King's with four caused turnovers and four ground balls, while junior
Ryan Candelori also posted four loose ball pickups and a caused turnover. Wall got his most extended time in the King's cage of his career, making 18 stops in the loss.
Joyce posted a game-high six points on three goals and three assists for Messiah, and Stone added two goals and three helpers. Reed Bond caused five turnovers in the win for the Falcons, while keeper Jacob Fahnestock made eight saves in net. Messiah held a 45-23 lead in shot attempts for the game, and each team was unsuccessful in their lone extra-man opportunity.
The Monarchs will make their final regular season road trip Saturday, April 17, heading to Stevens Institute of Technology for a 1 p.m. face-off in Hoboken, NJ at DeBaun Athletic Complex.
