GENEVA, N.Y.-Junior Kyle Mangold's goal in the 30th minute lifted the Hobart College soccer team past preseason No. 5 Messiah 1-0 in a non-conference contest on Cozzens Field this afternoon. It was Mangold's fourth career game-winning goal.
 
The teams were evenly matched throughout the contest with the Statesmen holding a slight 13-10 edge in shots, seven to four in shots on goal. The Falcons held a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.
 
After a back and forth opening 30 minutes, Hobart earned a throw-in deep in Messiah territory. Junior Kyle Walsh fired the ball across the 16-yard box to the right post. Mangold one-touched the pass by a diving Nate Flanders into the back of the net.
 
Messiah nearly tied the game in the 37th minute but Daryl Daniels' blast from the top of the box was blocked by a Statesmen defender.
 
Each team had five shots in the opening 45 minutes of the game.
 
Junior Pete Critchlow had a golden scoring opportunity robbed by Flanders in the 50th minute. Critchlow fired a shot from point blank range that Flanders kept out with a diving stop. The Falcons had a pair of scoring opportunities in the closing minutes but were unable to solve Hobart's back line. Luke Brautigam had a shot stopped by the Hobart goalie. One minute later, Joseph King fired a shot that was targeted at the lower right corner of the goal but just missed the right post. 
 
Senior Brian Salazar stopped all four shots he faced as he earned the first shutout of his collegiate career. Flanders played all 90 minutes in goal for the Falcons and made five stops.
 
The Statesmen will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they host New York University on Cozzens Field at 3 p.m. The Violets are receiving votes in the preseason United Soccer Coaches poll.