Bears Head For Sunshine State Swing

MACON, Ga. – Following up a two-game home set, Mercer will hit the road for the first time in the 2021 season for a pair of matches in Florida this weekend.

NORTH FLORIDA INFO
Date & Time: Friday, September 3, 2021 | 7 p.m.
Teams: Mercer Bears at North Florida Ospreys
Location: Jacksonville, Fla. | Hodges Stadium
Livestream: SwoopLife Live
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter Updates: @Mercer_MSoccer

SERIES HISTORY | LAST MEETING
This will be the 12^th meeting between the Bears and Ospreys. While North Florida holds the 6-5 edge in the series, Mercer has taken three of the last four. From 2008-14, this was an annual ASUN affair before MU left for the SoCon. When in Jacksonville, the series is deadlocked at 3-3. This past February, a UNF PK was the difference in a 2-1 home win for the Ospreys.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
The Orange & Black dropped a 1-0 home decision to in-state foe, Georgia State on Sunday, August 29. Redshirt sophomore keeper, Brant Zulauf saved five shots and allowed the goal on a penalty kick in the 75^th minute. Three days prior, MU defeated Gardner-Webb 4-0 behind a hat trick from Dylan Gaither and another goal by Trevor Martineau. Gaither's goals came in the 15^th minute on a penalty, 51^st and 83^rd minutes against the Runnin' Bulldogs. The aforementioned duo were named the SoCon's Offensive and Defensive players of the week, respectively, for their performances in week one.
SCOUTING THE OSPREYS
Like Mercer, UNF split their first two games of the 2021 season – defeating Georgia State and falling to UCF. Against Georgia State on August 26th, the Ospreys used goals from Jovoney Brown, Joaquin Acuna and Mirza Nevoric to take the 3-1 result over the Panthers. Three days later, UNF dropped a 5-0 decision to in-state foe, No. 13 UCF, on the road in Orlando. A season ago, UNF bowed out from the ASUN tournament after falling to FGCU in PKs in the opening round.

FGCU INFO
Date & Time: Sunday, September 5, 2021 | 5 p.m.
Teams: Mercer Bears at FGCU Eagles
Location: Fort Myers, Fla. | Pickering Field at the FGCU Soccer Complex
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter Updates: @Mercer_MSoccer
SERIES HISTORY | LAST MEETING
This will be the seventh all-time meeting between Mercer and FGCU, and the first since 2013, when both were members of the ASUN. FGCU holds the series lead with the 4-1-1 margin and is undefeated in the last five versus the Bears. The last time these two sides met, they played to a scoreless draw in Ft. Myers.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
FGCU dropped their opener to FIU, by 1-0 scoreline, when the Golden Panthers found the back of the net six minutes into extra time. Prior to the lone score of the contest - Eagle keeper. Wyatt Kistner, made a save in 24:11 in relief following Gustavo Vasconcelos' red card in the 71^st minute. Darius Kerr-Cooper and Miles Robinson led the Eagles with a shot on goal apiece.

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.

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Players Mentioned

Dylan Gaither

Trevor Martineau

Brant Zulauf

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