Mercer University
Stetson
Bears Strike Early to Put Away Stetson, 1-0
10/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer men's soccer team received a goal in the ninth minute of play by freshman forward Joshua Ball to propel it to a 1-0 win over Stetson on Thursday evening at Bear Field.
The conference victory advances Mercer's record to 7-3-1 overall and 2-2-0 in A-Sun play. The win equals the Bears win total from all of last season, after posting a 7-11-2 record in 2009. The loss was Stetson's (7-3-1, 4-1-0 A-Sun) first blemish in conference play and ended its season-high five-game unbeaten streak.
Stetson out-shot Mercer 17-9 and held a 6-4 edge in corner kicks, but none of that mattered thanks to Ball's early strike.
The Peachtree City, Ga. product collected a long ball, fought through a Stetson defender with a spin move and fired a shot low and to the right that beat Hatters goalkeeper Andreas Schnabl to give the Bears an early 1-0 advantage.
Stetson's best chance to tie the match came in the second half with a flurry of offensive pressure. Juniors Niels De Jonck and Gonzalo de Mujica both sent in blistering shots for Stetson within 10 seconds of one another, but Mercer goalkeeper Brett Petricek was up to the challenge saving both attempts to preserve the win.
Petricek made five total saves in the match to earn his fourth shutout of the season, tied for second-most in the A-Sun. Schnabl made two saves in a losing effort for Stetson.
Mercer continues its two-game A-Sun Conference home stand when it welcomes No. 24 FGCU to Bear Field on Saturday, October 16. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
