BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- Junior midfielder Stephen Betteridge (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford-Mendon) scored in the 88th minute but it wasn't enough to bring the Grove City College men's soccer team back from a 3-1 second-half deficit as the Wolverines fell to a strong Methodist side 3-2 on Friday afternoon at Geneva College's Merriman Athletic Complex.

Senior forward Seth Loew (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) also scored for the Wolverines while freshman forward Nate Curry (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) and junior defender Frank Hueber (Philadelphia, Pa./Calvary Christian) each added assists.

The Monarchs (2-0) jumped out to an early lead in the seventh minute when Tyler Ursuy found the feet of Eirik Nordseth in the middle of the box, and Nordseth finished inside the left post to give Methodist a 1-0 advantage.

Grove City would equalize in the 32nd minute, as Curry found Loew on a throw in from the left sideline, and the senior standout smacked a turning volley in the lower right corner of the goal to bring the score even at 1-1. The goal was Loew's second of the season while Curry notched his team-leading third assist.

Methodist would retake the lead early in the second half as Nordseth netted his second goal of the match and third of the season in the 55th minute. Nordseth would later convert a penalty kick in the 84th minute to complete the hat trick.

Betteridge cut the Monarch lead in half in the 88th minute when he collected and finished a ball out of a scrum in front of the net following a Hueber cross. It would be too little, too late, however, as Methodist closed out the final two minutes to hold on for the victory.

Senior Ben Weaver (York, Pa./Dallastown) made six saves in goal for the Wolverines. The Monarchs held a narrow 12-11 advantage in total shots and a 9-8 edge in shots on goal.

Grove City returns to action tomorrow afternoon, hosting Marietta at 4:30 p.m. in the second half of a women's-men's doubleheader with the Pioneers.