Bears Draw Furman In Wild Regular Season Finale

Saturday, November 2

Greenville, S.C.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

6-4-7, 1-2-2

Furman

7-3-4, 2-1-2

Mercer

Furman

Bears Draw Furman In Wild Regular Season Finale

11/2/2024 9:18:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Donovan Schultz, Donovan.schultz@live.mercer.edu

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Mercer men's soccer team played to a 1-1 draw in a hard-fought battle with Furman on Saturday night.

After a couple of chances for both sides, the Bears drew first blood in the 22^nd minute. Carlos Santamaria took a free kick from the attacking third and sent it to the left side of the back line. Kadeem Agard was there to head the ball in front of the goal, where Sekou Agard was able to find the back of the net. It was Agard's fifth goal of the season, tying him for the team lead.

Mercer would hold strong defensively for the remainder of the first half and took a 1-0 lead into the halftime period.

Furman came out aggressive to start the second half, piecing together a number of attacks. The Paladins put up three shots in the first seven minutes of the period, but the score remained 1-0 in favor of Mercer.

Following the barrage of Furman attacks, the Bears saw a good look of their own on a counter attack. However, a shot by Carlos Santamaria was saved by the Furman keeper. The Bears put together another counter attack in the 57^th minute, but Segun Afolabi's shot was saved.

Furman continued to push on the attack and nearly broke through in the 60^th minute, but a big clearance from Woodi Pondeca held the Mercer advantage.

The Bears nearly doubled the lead again in the 66^th minute when Barzee Blama fired a shot on target, but he was turned back by the Furman keeper. A few minutes later, Kadeem Agard put a cross into the box for Segun Afolabi, whose header went off the far post for another near miss.

Furman was able to level the score in the 85^th minute on a goal from Ivan Agyaakwah. Both sides threatened to score in a chaotic final five minutes, but the match would end in a draw.

The Bears finish the regular season with a 6-4-7 record and a 1-2-2 record in SoCon play.

SCORING SUMMARY

22' MERCER GOAL; Sekou Agard ASSIST: Carlos Santamaria, Kadeem Agard
85' FURMAN GOAL; Ivan Agyaakwah ASSIST: Jack Travis, Ryan Wagner

TOP BEARS

+ Sekou Agard scored for the fifth time this season and delivered a few huge defensive plays on the back line
+Trevor McMullen made four saves and came up with a huge stop in the final minute of the match to keep the score level
+ Natnael McDonald, Tommy Redd, Sekou Agard, Carlos Santamaria and Woodi Pondeca played the full 90 minutes in the field

UP NEXT
Mercer will be the five seed in the SoCon Tournament and will travel to Greensboro for a rematch with Furman on Friday.