Mercer Set for Pair of Tough Road Tilts this Weekend

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer men’s soccer team has its work cut out for them this weekend as it travels to the Sunshine State to take on Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson.

Mercer (3-10-0, 1-2-0 A-Sun) plays Florida Gulf Coast first on October 17 at 7 p.m. before closing out the weekend against Stetson on October 20 at 1 p.m.

The Bears are 1-7-0 all-time against the Eagles and haven’t defeated the Hatters in DeLand since a 2-1 triumph in 2000.

Scouting the Opposition

Florida Gulf Coast is playing its best soccer of the season entering its game against Mercer on Thursday evening. The Eagles are 6-5-1 overall and are on a six-game winning streak after most recently earning a 3-0 road win at USC Upstate on October 13. FGCU has found success of late due to its play on offense as it currently leads the A-Sun Conference with 21 goals scored this season. Sophomore Felipe DeSousa paces the Eagles attack with 11 points on five goals and one assist.

Stetson has had a tough go of it in 2013, as it is 1-8-3 overall entering play this weekend. The Hatters did earn their first point during A-Sun Conference play when it tied USC Upstate 0-0 last weekend to snap a three-game losing streak. Stetson has been stagnant on the offensive side of the pitch this season as it ranks last in the A-Sun averaging 0.67 goals per game.

Last Time Out

MACON, Ga. (MERCER RELEASE) – The Mercer men’s soccer team allowed a penalty kick goal late in the second half to come out on the short end of a 2-1 decision against Jacksonville on Sunday evening at Bear Field.

Mercer (3-10-0, 1-2-0 A-Sun) out-shot Jacksonville (3-6-1, 1-1-0 A-Sun) 21-7, including an 11-4 edge in shots on goal, and held an 11-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Jacksonville got on the board first in the 12th minute of play when junior Matheus Saroli fired a shot past Bears goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead.

Coming out of halftime Mercer found an answer thanks to the play of sophomore Juan Jose Morales. Senior Joey Heavner sent in a free kick service that Morales flicked in to tie the game at 1-1 in the 55th minute of the contest.

Unfortunately for the Bears, a late defensive miscue in the 78th minute of play sealed the win for the Dolphins. A handball in the box by Mercer allowed Saroli to convert a penalty kick chance to make the final score 2-1.

Game Notes

– Goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh currently ranks fifth in Mercer program history and 23rd in A-Sun Conference history with 220 career saves. He is just five stops away from moving into a tie with Campbell’s Will Poe for 22nd-place in A-Sun history.

– After assisting on Mercer’s lone goal in its game against Jacksonville, senior Joey Heavner now has 21 career assists which puts him just one behind Maxwell Rooke for the most assists in Mercer program history.