Offense Carries Bears Over VMI

Saturday, March 20

Lexington, Va.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

3-7-1, 1-1-1

VMI

2-5-0, 0-2-0

Mercer

VMI

Photo by: Katie Linkner

3/20/2021 7:49:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Dawson Gideon scored two goals against the Keydets

By: Stephen Waldman

LEXINGTON, Va. – The Mercer men's soccer team picked up its first win in Southern Conference play with a 3-1 victory over VMI on Saturday afternoon from Patchin Field.

Dawson Gideon scored a pair of goals in the contest, while Ricardo Packer Jr. netted his first goal of the year. Dylan Gaither and Ousman Jabang also recorded a point in the game as each of them tallied an assist.

In goal, Brant Zulauf made two saves as he picked up his second win of the season and his first career victory in conference play.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bears controlled the pace of play for the majority of the match and generated multiple scoring chances in the first 15 minutes. Mercer tallied the first five shots of the game and seven-of-the-first-eight, but it was VMI who struck first. The Keydets managed to get behind the Bears' back line as Richard Quispe tapped in a cross from Peter Sepulveda in the 20th minute to take an early 1-0 lead.

Mercer's response came swiftly as three minutes later a long pass from Jabang send Gideon in one-on-one against the VMI keeper. Gideon fired a shot from a step inside the box toward the top-right corner of the goal as a pursuing Keydet defender attempted to breakup the play. The shot sailed past the diving VMI keeper to even the game at one apiece.

The game remained tied heading into halftime, but Mercer displayed its quick-strike ability once again to take the lead early into the final 45 minutes of the match. Dalton Reyna sent the ball forward to an open Packer Jr. in the 48th minute. Packer Jr. took a couple touches before faking out his defender to the outside and ripped a shot inside the near post from the edge of the box.

Mercer continued to pressure the home squad and earned an insurance tally in the 67th minute. Gaither possessed the ball into the attacking third before dishing off to Gideon who juked a defender before slotting his shot into the bottom-left corner of the net for his second goal of the afternoon. The Bears continued to possess the ball throughout the remaining 23 minutes of the game and went on to win, 3-1.

NOTABLES

Mercer earned its first SoCon win of the season.
Dawson Gideon posted the second multi-goal game of his career.
Gideon matched Dylan Gaither for the team-lead in goals with four.
Gideon's four goals this season matches his single-season high which was set in 2019.
Gaither dished out his second assist of the season.
Gaither tallied his 10th point of the year, giving him double-digit points for the second consecutive season.
Ricardo Packer Jr. scored his first goal of the season and fourth of his career.
Ousman Jabang notched his first assist of the season.
Brant Zulauf recorded his second career win and first against a SoCon opponent.

UP NEXT
The Bears continue conference play on Tuesday as they head to Furman for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Men's Soccer, please follow the Bears on social media at @Mercer_MSoccer (Twitter), MercerMSoccer (Instagram) and /MercerMSoccer (Facebook) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.