GRANTHAM, Pa - Defending national champion Messiah College scored late in the game for a 2-1 victory over Rochester in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Elite 8 game Sunday evening.

The match was tied at 1-1 when the Falcons continued to push forward. Rochester goalkeeper Michael Peacock stood up to a number of challenges, particularly in the last 10 minutes as Messiah tried to salvage a win.

With 3:17 to play, a Messiah pass found Trevor Lee streaking down the field. Lee released the ball to Geoff Pezon and his shot got past Peacock for the gamewinner.

The Falcons outshot Rochester 12-1 in the second half and 19-4 for the match. Messiah earned 10 corner kicks, six in the first 45 minutes.

Peacock finished with four saves and Rochester's defense had one. Messiah goalkeeper Jared Clugston made one save.

Rochester took a 1-0 lead before the match was 12 minutes old. The two men who scored in Saturday's double-OT thriller over Wesleyan (2-1) combined for the goal against the nation's top-ranked team. Jake Cargill drove a deep cross from right wing into the center of the box and Scott Cady headed home his 10th goal of the season.

Messiah got even with an unlucky break for the Yellowjackets. At 21:29, Pezon unleashed a shot at goal and as a Yellowjacket defender raced to clear it away, it deflected off him into the net to tie it at 1-1.

Last year at Fauver Stadium, Messiah scored in the fourth minute of play and held on for a 1-0 win over Rochester. Pezon assisted on the gamewinner there.

The Yellowjackets finish the regular season at 14-2-3. The Elite 8 appearance is the farthest the team has advanced in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Both teams needed double overtime wins on Saturday to reach Sunday's game. Messiah rallied from a 2-0 halftime deficit to defeat Johns Hopkins, 3-2. Rochester trailed Wesleyan University, 1-0, at the break. The Yellowjackets equalized on a goal from Cady early in the second half, then won on a Cargill goal in the 101st minute.