Tuesday, October 11
Macon, Ga.
7 PM
Mercer University
9-4-0, 4-1-0SoCon
2
vs
1
Furman
5-5-2, 1-3-1SoCon
1
2
OT 2
F
Furman
0
1
0
1
Mercer
1
0
1
2
Team Stats
FUR
MER
Goals
1
2
Shots
13
10
Shots on Goal
2
3
Saves
1
1
Corners
2
6
Fouls
15
16
Scoring Plays
Max Poore (3)
MER Max Poore PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 3 for season.
38:50
Emery May (2)
From 10 yards out on left side of box
76:33
Will Bagrou (5)
Assisted By: Conner Antley , Ian Antley
Header off pair of passes as part of set
96:59
Game Leaders
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
MF
/ Men's SoccerD
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
MF/D
/ Men's Soccer
Bagrou Nets Game-Winner in Overtime Over Furman
10/11/2016 10:31:00 PM | Men's Soccer
MACON, Ga. – Sometimes gifts just fall right in front of you. That was the case for Will Bagrou and Mercer Tuesday evening as a pair of passes gave Bagrou an easy header for a game-winner in extra time as Mercer defeated Furman, 2-1, at Bear Field in Macon.
The overtime win kept Mercer atop the league tables and even gave the Bears sole possession of first place as the first half of league play drew to a close. Picked to finish third in the preseason, Mercer now enters the second half of league play and the second time around the conference's round robin schedule with a two-point advantage in the standings thanks to a 4-1 league mark.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Max Poore put Mercer on top in the 39th minute as he buried a penalty kick into the back of the net to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Furman responded in the 77th minute as Emery May beat a defender with speed and scored from the left side of the field, pushing the ball past Bears goalkeeper Jeremy Booth to even the match at 1-1.
In all, 90 minutes would prove to not be enough for the two teams. In extra time, Trenton Whitely sent a corner kick across the field. Ian Antley headed it to Conner Antley, who flicked it right in front of Bagrou. Bagrou buried the ball for the game-winner, scoring his sixth goal of the season as he drew even with UNCG's Damieon Thomas for the Southern Conference lead in goals scored.
STAT OF THE MATCH
Despite opportunities, Mercer struggled to get shots early on. In the first half Mercer had five corner kicks but the only shot on goal came from Max Poore's penalty kick. The Bears' attack never relented, however, and came away with a 2-1 win despite being outshot 13-10.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Burying the shot in the 97th minute, Will Bagrou scored his (tied for) Southern Conference leading sixth goal of the season and his second game-winning goal of the year.
QUOTING BRAD RUZZO
On the overtime win:
"It is a huge win. Furman, along with UNC Greensboro, has been the class of the Southern Conference. They have won the last two SoCon Tournaments. We knew it was going to be a tough game and we haven't fared well lately against Furman. The guys just dug in. It was unfortunate to give up that goal but obviously they are a good team and were starting to create a little bit more. We got a little tired at the end but I am proud of our guys for coming back when it was 1-1 to get a goal in overtime and end the game."
On the team not giving up after Furman tied the match:
"We actually got lucky because when it was 1-1 Furman had a nice chance there in the box. After that our guys stood their ground and said no more. I don't think we gave up a chance the rest of the way. I'm not sure that we created much in the second half. We had some chances in the second half, when it was 1-0, that would have been nice to go up 2-0. But we have maturity on this team and we have good leadership on this team and they just kept plugging away."
On Will Bagrou's game-winner:
"He is really good in the box. He finds the pieces and he gets in the right areas at the right time. You want nobody else but him to be there because he is going to tuck it away."
NOTABLES
Mercer plays at UNCG (7-4-2, 3-2-0 SoCon following Tuesday's results) on Saturday at 7 p.m. That match will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of Mercer Men's Soccer, please follow the Bears on social media at @Mercer_MSoccer (Twitter) and /MercerMSoccer (Facebook) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
The overtime win kept Mercer atop the league tables and even gave the Bears sole possession of first place as the first half of league play drew to a close. Picked to finish third in the preseason, Mercer now enters the second half of league play and the second time around the conference's round robin schedule with a two-point advantage in the standings thanks to a 4-1 league mark.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Max Poore put Mercer on top in the 39th minute as he buried a penalty kick into the back of the net to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Furman responded in the 77th minute as Emery May beat a defender with speed and scored from the left side of the field, pushing the ball past Bears goalkeeper Jeremy Booth to even the match at 1-1.
In all, 90 minutes would prove to not be enough for the two teams. In extra time, Trenton Whitely sent a corner kick across the field. Ian Antley headed it to Conner Antley, who flicked it right in front of Bagrou. Bagrou buried the ball for the game-winner, scoring his sixth goal of the season as he drew even with UNCG's Damieon Thomas for the Southern Conference lead in goals scored.
STAT OF THE MATCH
Despite opportunities, Mercer struggled to get shots early on. In the first half Mercer had five corner kicks but the only shot on goal came from Max Poore's penalty kick. The Bears' attack never relented, however, and came away with a 2-1 win despite being outshot 13-10.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Burying the shot in the 97th minute, Will Bagrou scored his (tied for) Southern Conference leading sixth goal of the season and his second game-winning goal of the year.
QUOTING BRAD RUZZO
On the overtime win:
"It is a huge win. Furman, along with UNC Greensboro, has been the class of the Southern Conference. They have won the last two SoCon Tournaments. We knew it was going to be a tough game and we haven't fared well lately against Furman. The guys just dug in. It was unfortunate to give up that goal but obviously they are a good team and were starting to create a little bit more. We got a little tired at the end but I am proud of our guys for coming back when it was 1-1 to get a goal in overtime and end the game."
On the team not giving up after Furman tied the match:
"We actually got lucky because when it was 1-1 Furman had a nice chance there in the box. After that our guys stood their ground and said no more. I don't think we gave up a chance the rest of the way. I'm not sure that we created much in the second half. We had some chances in the second half, when it was 1-0, that would have been nice to go up 2-0. But we have maturity on this team and we have good leadership on this team and they just kept plugging away."
On Will Bagrou's game-winner:
"He is really good in the box. He finds the pieces and he gets in the right areas at the right time. You want nobody else but him to be there because he is going to tuck it away."
NOTABLES
- With the win Mercer now leads the all-time series against Furman, 5-4-2.
- With the win, Mercer now regains sole possession at the top of the SoCon tables. The Bears have 12 points to their credit followed by ETSU (10), UNCG (9) and Wofford (9).
- Will Bagrou's goal – his sixth of the season – ties UNCG's Damieon Thomas for the lead in the Southern Conference in goals scored this season.
- Max Poore's goal in the first half marked his third goal of the season but his first by penalty kick. He is now 1-for-1 on penalty kick attempts this season.
- Mercer: 9-4-0 (4-1-0 SoCon)
- Furman: 5-5-2 (1-3-1 SoCon)
Mercer plays at UNCG (7-4-2, 3-2-0 SoCon following Tuesday's results) on Saturday at 7 p.m. That match will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of Mercer Men's Soccer, please follow the Bears on social media at @Mercer_MSoccer (Twitter) and /MercerMSoccer (Facebook) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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