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Mercer claims SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship
Tournament MOP Agard played all 90 minutes in the backfield for the Bears
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mercer scored twice in the first six minutes of the contest as the fifth-seeded Bears took down the No. 3 seed Furman, 2-0, on Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina, to claim the Southern Conference Men’s Soccer Championship.
The win represents the Bears’ fifth SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship, the last coming in 2021. Mercer’s other title wins came in 2016, 2017 and 2019. The win also marks the first time in SoCon tournament history that the No. 5 seed has won the championship.
With the win, Mercer claims the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship. The NCAA Selection show will air on NCAA.com on Monday at 1 p.m.
Nick Wanzer scored the opening goal of the game, the eventual game-winning score, in the second minute to put Mercer on the board. The midfielder found the bottom left corner of the net for the score, placing the ball there after it ricocheted off the goalkeeper’s hands.
Four minutes later in the sixth minute, Carlos Santamaria scored the Bears’ second goal following a free kick from Barzee Blama.
The Paladins outshot the Bears, 9-8, while Mercer recorded six corner kicks to Furman’s four.
Trevor McMullen kept the Paladins scoreless in the contest with four saves. The Paladins recorded nine shots overall.
Tournament MOP Sekou Agard played all 90 minutes of the game on the backline for the Bears, leading the defense that kept the Paladins scoreless for the game. Mercer gave up just two goals for the entirety of the conference tournament.
Today’s result puts Mercer ahead 3-2 all-time against Furman in the SoCon tournament.
The Bears enter NCAA Tournament play with a 7-5-8 overall record.
2023 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team
Lucas Lightner, ETSU
Cole Hunter, ETSU
Josh Hosie, Furman
Christian Kraus, Furman
Slade Starnes, Furman
Trevor McMullen, Mercer
Nick Wanzer, Mercer
Barzee Blama, Mercer
Sekou Agard, Mercer
Nic Parker, Wofford
Hugo Moldin, Wofford
Most Outstanding Player
Sekou Agard, Mercer
Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Nick Wanzer, Mercer
2023 SoCon Men's Soccer Championship
Friday, Nov. 3
Quarterfinals (at No. 1 & No. 2 seeds)
Match 1: No. 5 Mercer 3, No. 4 UNCG 1 (Johnson City, Tenn.)
Match 2: No. 3 Furman 4, No. 6 VMI 1 (Spartanburg, S.C.)
Sunday, Nov. 5
Semifinals (at No. 1 & No. 2 seeds)
Match 3: No. 1 ETSU 1, No. 5 Mercer 1 (Mer 4-3 PKs)
Match 4: No. 3 Furman 1, No. 2 Wofford 0
Sunday, Nov. 12
Final (at highest remaining seed)
Match 5: No. 3 Furman 0, No. 5 Mercer 2 (Greenville, S.C.)
* All times Eastern unless otherwise noted.
The win represents the Bears’ fifth SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship, the last coming in 2021. Mercer’s other title wins came in 2016, 2017 and 2019. The win also marks the first time in SoCon tournament history that the No. 5 seed has won the championship.
With the win, Mercer claims the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship. The NCAA Selection show will air on NCAA.com on Monday at 1 p.m.
Nick Wanzer scored the opening goal of the game, the eventual game-winning score, in the second minute to put Mercer on the board. The midfielder found the bottom left corner of the net for the score, placing the ball there after it ricocheted off the goalkeeper’s hands.
Four minutes later in the sixth minute, Carlos Santamaria scored the Bears’ second goal following a free kick from Barzee Blama.
The Paladins outshot the Bears, 9-8, while Mercer recorded six corner kicks to Furman’s four.
Trevor McMullen kept the Paladins scoreless in the contest with four saves. The Paladins recorded nine shots overall.
Tournament MOP Sekou Agard played all 90 minutes of the game on the backline for the Bears, leading the defense that kept the Paladins scoreless for the game. Mercer gave up just two goals for the entirety of the conference tournament.
Today’s result puts Mercer ahead 3-2 all-time against Furman in the SoCon tournament.
The Bears enter NCAA Tournament play with a 7-5-8 overall record.
2023 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team
Lucas Lightner, ETSU
Cole Hunter, ETSU
Josh Hosie, Furman
Christian Kraus, Furman
Slade Starnes, Furman
Trevor McMullen, Mercer
Nick Wanzer, Mercer
Barzee Blama, Mercer
Sekou Agard, Mercer
Nic Parker, Wofford
Hugo Moldin, Wofford
Most Outstanding Player
Sekou Agard, Mercer
Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Nick Wanzer, Mercer
2023 SoCon Men's Soccer Championship
Friday, Nov. 3
Quarterfinals (at No. 1 & No. 2 seeds)
Match 1: No. 5 Mercer 3, No. 4 UNCG 1 (Johnson City, Tenn.)
Match 2: No. 3 Furman 4, No. 6 VMI 1 (Spartanburg, S.C.)
Sunday, Nov. 5
Semifinals (at No. 1 & No. 2 seeds)
Match 3: No. 1 ETSU 1, No. 5 Mercer 1 (Mer 4-3 PKs)
Match 4: No. 3 Furman 1, No. 2 Wofford 0
Sunday, Nov. 12
Final (at highest remaining seed)
Match 5: No. 3 Furman 0, No. 5 Mercer 2 (Greenville, S.C.)
* All times Eastern unless otherwise noted.