GRANTHAM, PA (March 2, 2022) – The King's College men's lacrosse team got off to hot start, opening up scoring less than 30 seconds into the contest, but they could not hold on as they eventually fell to the host Messiah University Falcons 11-6 on Wednesday evening. 
 
First year Ben Spencer got things started for the Monarchs (0-2), taking a dodge from the midfield logo down the right side. Spencer ripped a shot on the run, pinging the top corner on nice high to low bounce shot just 28 seconds into the first quarter. The Falcons (1-2) went on to score the next 3 goals, taking an early 3-1 lead into the first break, behind the first 2 goals for Sam Stone of the game. 
 
Less than a minute and a half into the second quarter, the Falcons would find the back of the net again as Nathan Branson would get the first of his 2 for the game. The Monarchs answered, however, with Ben Spencer taking the feed from Ryan Barnes in the midst of a transition opportunity to bring the score within 2 with 11 minutes left until half. The Falcons would find the back of the net once more at around the 1 minute mark of the second quarter, taking a 5-2 lead into halftime.
 
Messiah scored the first 2 of the second half, putting 2 past Matt Wall within 45 seconds of each other. Ben Spencer would stop the run, netting his third of the game on a slick move to put the score at 7-3 with 12:11 left in the third quarter. Graduate student Gabe Vansuch stepped up next to help out Spencer as Vansuch put 1 between the pipes with 7:36 left in the third. RJ Mellor for the Falcons would go on to score his third of the game, giving Messiah an 8-4 lead at the end of the third quarter.
 
After a little bit of a scoring drought for both teams, Messiah would break the ice in the fourth quarter, with Aaron Shaw taking advantage of a Monarch penalty to put the Falcons up 5. Ben Spencer would round out his day next, netting his fourth of the game just over a minute and half later before Alec Martin would add his name to the goal sheet with just under 7 minutes left to play. Owen Joyce and Nathan Branson put the icing on the cake as each put 1 in to close out the game for the Falcons as they finished up leading 11-6.
 
The Monarchs were led by Ben Spencer, who found the back of the net 4 times with Vansuch and Martin each tallying 1. Ryan Barnes had the lone assist of the game for the Monarchs while also picking up 4 ground balls. Sophomore Geno Casciello led the Monarchs at the faceoff dot going 11-19 and scooping up 6 ground balls. John Shaffer would lead the defense, causing 2 turnovers. Junior Matt Wall would take the loss for King's as he made 9 saves.
 
The Falcons had 2 with hat tricks today as RJ Mellor and Sam Stone each recorded 3 goals and an assist a piece. Mellor led Messiah with 12 total shots while Ryan Fascetta led the defense with 6 ground balls and 3 caused turnovers. Josh Grove recorded his first win of the season in net, tallying a double digit 10 saves.
 
The Monarchs recorded a total of 25 shots while picking up 32 ground balls as a unit. 
 
King's returns home this Saturday, March 5 as they play host to Neumann University for a 1:00 PM start to continue nonconference play.