(boxscore)

4/23/08 -- Widener was dealt a 14-12 Middle Atlantic Conference loss at Messiah in Grantham, PA, but remained in a second-place tie in the league.

 

Messiah (9-5, 6-0 MAC) scored five times in the third quarter for an 11-7 lead.  Tim Sandusky and Ian Lee each found the back of the net twice in the period.

 

The margin grew to 13-7 just over two minutes into the fourth quarter on goals by Phil Wendt and Nick Ricucci.  Seniors Chris Matthews (Drexel Hill, PA) and Luke Weber (Lititz, PA) scored as the Pride closed to 13-9 with 9:26 remaining.

 

Jeff Ziegler tallied with 7:13 to play as the Falcons' lead increased to 14-9.  Weber and seniors Clint Quedenfeld (Chalfont, PA) and Brian Stromko (Maplewood, NJ) all scored for Widener (7-7, 4-2) in the last four minutes, but it was not enough.

 

Quedenfeld, Stromko and Weber scored three goals apiece for Widener.  Ziegler netted four with Lee and Ricucci tallying three each for Messiah.

 

Widener is tied with Lycoming and FDU-Florham at 4-2, one game ahead of fifth-place Elizabethtown (3-3).  The top four teams advance to the MAC Tournament.

 

Widener on Saturday hosts Manhattanville in the regular-season finale, beginning at 1:00 pm.