Mercer University
Jacksonville
Bears Allow Late Goal in 2-1 Loss to Jacksonville
11/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
MACON, Ga. – A diving header by junior midfielder Chris Helms in the 88th minute of play was the difference in a Jacksonville 2-1 Atlantic Sun Championship first round win over the Mercer men's soccer team on Saturday evening at Bear Field.
With a sold out crowd of over 500 fans in attendance, despite chilly weather in the low 40's, the atmosphere was electric for Mercer as it hosted its first A-Sun Championship match since 2005. It would prove to not be enough in the end, however, as the sixth-seeded Dolphins avenged an earlier 1-0 loss to Mercer during the regular season.
The win moves Jacksonville (9-8-2) into the semi-finals where it will take on second-seeded Stetson in Johnson City, Tenn. next weekend. The loss cuts short a brilliant 2010 campaign for Mercer (10-6-1), who's 10 wins were the most in a single-season since 2004.
The Dolphins got the scoring started in the 33rd minute of the match when junior midfielder Predrag Ivanovic collected a carom off the crossbar and flicked in a header to put JU out in front, 1-0.
That is the way the score would remain going into the second half, where the Bears began to dominate play. The home team almost tied the game up in the 67th minute, when junior Ryan Young hit a free kick from midfield that clanked off the crossbar and harmlessly back into play.
The Orange and Black's offensive pressure finally paid off just minutes later when Young got another chance. Senior Ian Cameron sent in a corner kick that Young leaped up and headed out of the air, past Jacksonville goalkeeper Zach Greenwald, to tie the match at 1-1.
The end result would be finalized when Helms put in his goal to silence the home crowd. Ivanovic sent in a cross that Mercer goalkeeper Brett Petricek punched out, but the punch went right to Helms whose diving header into net set off an ecstatic Jacksonville bench.
Saturday night's contest was the final collegiate match for Cameron, the lone senior on this year's squad. With his assist tonight, the Glasgow, Scotland native finished his career tied for fourth in the Mercer record books with 16 career assists and tied for eighth all-time with 50 career points.
