Mercer 2, Presbyterian 0
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University men’s soccer team picked up a 2-0 win over Presbyterian on Friday night to open the home slate of the schedule.
Mercer took control early when Conner Antley headed the ball into the left side of the net in the seventh minute to put the Bears up 1-0. Kobe Perez added a second goal and some breathing room in the 78th minute off a free kick. Perez’s goal was the first of his career.
Antley’s goal was the second overall and first game-winning goal of the season for the junior.
Mercer led Presbyterian in corner kicks, 10-1.
Jeremy Booth made two saves on the night, both in the first half.
Mercer improves to 4-3 on the season, while Presbyterian falls to 0-6.
Mercer will face Lipscomb on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. at Bear Field. The game will be the second of a doubleheader, as the women’s team is set to play at 4 p.m.
Stetson 1, Furman 0
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Lucas Diniz scored in the 33rd minute and Stetson held off a 10-man Furman squad in the Paladins’ nonconference finale Friday night on Seagraves Field at Stone Soccer Stadium.
After Furman controlled possession and compiled a 5-0 shots advantage over the first half hour of play, Stetson scored against the run of play at the 32:34 mark. Arturo Roosen fed a pass to Diniz behind the Furman defense down the center of the field and the forward flicked a shot over Jonathan Smith as the Paladin goalkeeper charged off of his line. The ball trickled into the net for Diniz’s seventh goal in seven matches this season.
Just moments after Stetson netted the go-ahead goal, Furman’s Adrian McInnis was shown a red card for his challenge on the Hatters’ Bernardo Carabelli in the midfield. Carabelli was attended to by medical personnel before being transported to a local hospital.
The 10-man Paladins managed to claim the majority of possession over the final 55 minutes of the match, but Furman recorded just three shots on goal and rarely troubled Hatters keeper Paul Ladwig. Freshman Josiah Baker made several dangerous runs into the 18-yard box in the second half and twice went to the ground only to be denied his appeal for a penalty kick.
Furman finished the match with a 9-6 margin in total shots, while the Hatters held a 5-3 edge in shots on target. Ladwig totaled three saves in the victory. Smith stopped four shots for the Paladins.
The injury-riddled Paladins will be idle for a week before returning to action in the Southern Conference opener at VMI on Saturday, Sept. 26.
North Florida 3, UNCG 2 (2OT)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men’s soccer team suffered just its second loss of the season as the Spartans dropped a hard-fought, 3-2, double-overtime contest to visiting North Florida at the UNCG Soccer Stadium Friday night. North Florida converted a penalty kick in the 108th minute of play to steal the victory from the Spartans.
North Florida gained control in the second overtime as it registered all three shots in the period. The game looked headed for a tie until the 108th minute of play. Alex Morrell made a run against the UNCG defense and got behind the last defender when a UNCG player was called for the foul in the box. Helge Pietschmann stepped up for the Ospreys and buried the ensuing penalty kick for the game-winning goal at 107:12.
The Spartans opened the scoring just 2:29 into the game, taking advantage of a free kick in the midfield. Freshman Leeroy Maguraushe worked a give-and-go with junior defender Jordan Poarch. Poarch dropped off the pass to Maguraushe at the top of the 18-yard box. Maguraushe took his first touch and ripped a shot into the top corner past UNF goalkeeper Kyle Nasta for a 1-0 lead.
North Florida tied the game in the 18th minute of action as it took advantage of a free kick. Simen Solstad took the shot from 20 yards out that senior goalkeeper Logan Rohde was able to save, but the rebound popped out in front of the net. Midfielder Jay Bolt pounced on the loose ball and poked it into the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1.
The Spartans retook the lead just minutes later in the 22nd minute of action when a UNF defender stopped the ball but was called for a handball on the play, awarding the Spartans a penalty kick. Maguraushe stepped up and buried the try into the top corner for the 2-1 lead for the Spartans. The goal was the team-leading fourth of the season for Maguraushe and his second penalty kick converted on the year.
The Ospreys tied the game in the 60th minute of play as Ivan Castro sent a cross into the box, where Drew Spragg was there to head it home for the 2-2 score.
The Spartans return to action in less than 48 hours as they host Jacksonville Sunday afternoon. Game time is set for 3 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.