[NCAA DIVISION III MEN] Lynchburg was five minutes away from winning the NCAA Division III men’s title when Messiah rallied to send the game into overtime,where it won, 2-1, for its third straight national championship and eighth in the past 11 years.
Sophomore Dan Squire scored with less than fiveminutes remaining in regulation and senior Geoff Pezon blasted home the overtime game-winner. Lynchburg’s MichaelAbbonizio had put the Hornets ahead 1-0.
Sophomore g oalkeeper Jake Berry made a huge save on Abbonizio in overtime before Pezon won the game.
“I told the team afterward, I’m not a realemotional guy,” said second-year Messiah coach Brad McCarty. “I think I feed off of focus and determination, and ask the same out of the guys. Butto give up a goal with 15 minutes left in the national championship game against a team that was playing very well and then to score with four minutes left and then in overtime … it brought meto my knees. After about 10 seconds of celebration, I was on overload a bit emotionally. So, yeah, this will always have a special place in my heart.”