SALISBURY, Md. – Playing in the first NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament match in program history, Centenary College was handed its first loss in 45 days as the Cyclones fell to defending-national champion Messiah 9-1 on Saturday at the SU Soccer Complex in Salisbury, Md.
 
Centenary closed the season with a 12-6-3 record under the guidance of 10^th-year Head Coach Keith O'Connor, the 2013 Colonial States Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. The Cyclones claimed their first-ever CSAC title and won 12 games for the first time since 1999, while breaking the school record for league wins (8).
 
Freshman Luis Marin (Union City, N.J./Union Hill) provided the highlight during Saturday's match for Centenary, scoring his seventh goal of the year in the 15^th minute. Marin capped a standout rookie campaign during which he tallied 18 points (7g, 4a), was named CSAC Tournament MVP and selected second team all-conference.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Jesse Goleman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) stopped six shots, upping his save total to 89. Goleman tied a Centenary record with seven shutouts and posted the third-lowest goals-against average (1.34) and fourth-highest save percentage (.767) in Centenary single-season history this fall.
 
With the loss, the Cyclones saw the careers of their five seniors come to an end, including standout defender Reid Meeker (Phillipsburg, N.J./Notre Dame Green Pond). On Saturday, Meeker broke the school record by playing in his 77^th match. He started every game on the Cyclones' back line during his four-year collegiate career.
 
Messiah, ranked fourth nationally, scored four times in the first half and added five scores during the final 45 minutes. The Falcons advanced to face Salisbury on Sunday at 1:30 pm.

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