Mercer University
1-2-0, 0-0-0
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North Florida
2-1-0, 0-0-0
Bears Drop Road Opener
9/3/2021 7:34:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Mercer falls to North Florida on Friday night
The Bears (1-2) utilized a game-tying score from freshman forward in the 83rd minute to send it to the extra period. After the regulation 90, North Florida (2-1) won the match when Joaquin Acuna finished a brace in the 96th to take the result.
Ousman Jabang commenced the scoring off a feed for Mercer from Liam Coxhead in the 24th minute. It was the junior midfielder's first score of the season.Â
Wasting no time, UNF (2-1) promptly answered MU's score with a goal of their own to tie the contest when Acuna slipped the ball past reigning SoCon defensive player of the week, Brant Zulauf.
The next twenty-plus minutes featured back-and-forth attacks before Angel Gonzalez headed in the second goal for the Orange & Black mere seconds before the intermission, when he was assisted by Chad Eldridge. It is the first-career goal for the redshirt sophomore midfielder, and also the first assist from the freshman forward.
A few minutes after the half, the hosts tied it back up following a strike from well outside the 18-yard box to get some momentum back in the 52nd.
Eleven minutes later in the 63rd, UNF connected once more on another long-range shot to take their first lead of the night, and ultimately, the contest.
Agard's game-leveling socre was also his first-ever goal in the college ranks. In the waning minutes of regulation, Dylan Gaither missed just right of the post in an attempt to win it.
Zulauf stopped four shots from Osprey attackers throughout the 96 minutes, and was charged with the loss.
Next time out, the Bears will meet FGCU in Ft. Myers, Florida, on Sunday for a 5 p.m. kickoff before returning to the friendly confines of Betts Stadium.
Team Stats
Ousman Jabang (1)
Assisted By: Liam Coxhead
GOAL by MER Jabang, Ousman Assist by Coxhead, Liam.
24:01
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Joaquin Acuna (3)
Assisted By: Cormac Begley
GOAL by UNF Acuna, Joaquin Assist by Begley, Cormac.
25:23
Angel Gonzalez (1)
Assisted By: Chad Eldridge
GOAL by MER Gonzalez, Angel Assist by Eldridge, Chad.
44:26
Luto Tom (1)
GOAL by UNF Tom, Luto.
51:19
Bendeguz Burka (1)
Assisted By: Bryson Smith , Giovanny Abreu
GOAL by UNF Burka, Bendeguz Assist by Smith, Bryson and Abreu, Giovanny.
62:47
Kadeem Agard (1)
GOAL by MER Agard, Kadeem.
85:48
Joaquin Acuna (3)
Assisted By: Jovoney Brown
GOAL by UNF Acuna, Joaquin Assist by Brown, Jovoney.
95:46
