Mercer University
Belmont
Bears Capture No. 3 Seed in A-Sun Championship with 2-1 Win over Belmont
10/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
MACON, Ga.- The Mercer men's soccer team used two second half goals to come away with a 2-1 win over Belmont on Senior Day on Saturday evening at Bear Field.
The win secures the number three seed for the Bears in next weekend's A-Sun Championship, but Mercer still doesn't know who it will play in the first round on November 6. It could either be Campbell, Belmont or Jacksonville depending on results from tomorrow night's conference matches. It is the first time that Mercer will host an A-Sun Championship game at Bear Field since 2005.
Mercer (10-5-1, 5-4-0 A-Sun) also clinched its first 10-win season since 2004 with the victory. Belmont (6-11-0, 3-6-0 A-Sun) has now lost two-straight conference matches and will wait to see if it gets another shot at Mercer as the No. 6 seed in the A-Sun Championship depending on what happens in the match between Jacksonville and Stetson tomorrow afternoon.
Head coach Brad Ruzzo and the rest of the squad held a pre-game ceremony for the lone senior on this year's 2010 squad, midfielder Ian Cameron.
Once play began, the Bears dominated play throughout the contest, out-shooting Belmont 18-8 and owning a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.
Neither side could get on the board until the start of the second half. After a Belmont defender was flagged for a handball in the box, junior Phil Thoren hammered home a penalty kick to give Mercer a 1-0 lead in the 54th minute of play.
Junior Ryan Young would add to the Bears lead in the 87th minute of the match when he launched a free kick from midfield that glanced off Belmont goalkeeper Wesley Wray's hands and in to make the score 2-0.
Belmont freshman Nico Olsak scored a late goal for Belmont to make the score 2-1, but Mercer controlled possession the rest of the way to seal the win.
Sophomore goalkeeper Brett Petricek made one save in the win, while Wray made five saves in defeat.
Check back to www.mercerbears.com on Monday morning to see who the Bears will play on November 6 and at what time the match will be played.
