GRANTHAM, Pa. -- The Covenant men's soccer team began the 2012 campaign on the road at No. 3-ranked Messiah College on Friday night. The host Falcons made life tough on the visiting Scots as they took a 3-0 victory to begin the season.

Covenant (0-1) managed to get off just six shots all match long and were denied five times by Messiah keeper Brandon West. Messiah jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the 8th minute when Joshua Wood found the back of the net, with an assist from Bryant Myer. The Falcons would add another score before halftime off another Myer pass to Dan Squire for the goal in the 42nd minute of play.

Messiah (1-0) tallied one more score in the 55th minute off Shelden Myer's goal to make it 3-0. The Scots could muster just three shots in the second half. Tyler Morrison and Matt Hudnut accounted for four of the six total shot attempts the Scots took on the night with David Huertas and David Taaffe taking the other two.

Keeper Shuler Polk recorded 10 saves for Covenant before being replaced by Jacob Richter late in the second half. All but one Covenant player saw action in the contest.

Covenant will continue its tour of Pennsylvania when they take on Franklin & Marshall College on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m.