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Furman Upends Mercer for Men's Soccer Crown
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Lewis Hawke headed home the game-winner in the 82nd minute to lead No. 3 seed Furman past No. 1 seed Mercer in the Southern Conference Men’s Soccer Championship title match at the UNCG Soccer Stadium on Saturday, 1-0. With the win, the Paladins earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship.
The Paladins (12-5-3) will learn their postseason fate Monday at 1 p.m., when the NCAA Selection Show airs on NCAA.com. Furman will be making its first NCAA appearance since earning an at-large bid in 2011.
With the teams locked in a scoreless battle late, Furman finally broke through at the 81:17 mark, when Hawke nodded home the game’s lone goal. Hart Zwing and Bobby Edet picked up assists on the play, with Zwing dropping a pass back to Edet, who crossed the ball in from the right wing for Hawke.
Furman weathered a flurry of Mercer chances in remaining minutes of the match for its SoCon-best 12th title all-time and first since 2007. The regular-season champion Bears (14-7-0), in their first season in the SoCon, were trying for their first.
The Paladins won the tournament with stout defensive play, picking up 1-0 victories over No. 6 seed VMI and No. 2 seed Wofford in addition to Mercer. Furman became the first team since UNCG in 2006 to win the tournament without allowing a goal and just the sixth since tournament play began in 1988.
Furman keeper Sven Lissek was credited with the shutout Saturday without having to make a save, as the Paladin defense held Mercer to just six shots, none of which was on goal. Lissek’s shutout was his 11th of the season, tying the SoCon single-season, and the 20th of his career, which is tied for seventh in league annals.
Furman had the majority of the scoring chances on the evening, starting in the 11th minute, when tournament Most Outstanding Player Clint Ritter ripped a shot from 25 yards out with Mercer keeper Greg Ranjitsingh pulled well out of goal. Bears defender Max Poore was there for the team save, however, heading the ball to safety.
Minutes later, Kevin Pahl sent a screaming shot just wide of the right post.
One of Mercer’s best chances came on a corner kick in the 27th minute. Chandler Klemm fired a shot from close range that was blocked by Furman’s Tony Santibanez, and SoCon Freshman of the Year Will Bagrou’s follow attempt sailed high.
In the second half, Hawke nearly scored on a header in the 69th minute, pushing it just wide, and a minute later, Edet put an excellent strike on frame that forced a diving save from Ranjitsingh.
After Furman’s go-ahead strike in the 82nd minute, Mercer pushed the offensive tempo, earning four corner kicks in the final 8:43 of the game. The Bears were able to get off a pair of shots, but neither was on frame.
Ranjitsingh, the SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year, finished with three saves in the losing effort.
Ritter was joined on the all-tournament team by Furman teammates Marco Ortiz, Tony Santibanez and Eric Steber. Mercer was represented on the squad by Ranjitsingh, Bagrou and Ashani Samuels.
All-Tournament Team
Jacques Francois, UNCG
Aaron Reifschneider, UNCG
Carlos Dominguez-Gonzalez, Wofford
Charlie Keeley, Wofford
Will Bagrou, Mercer
Greg Ranjitsingh, Mercer
Ashani Samuels, Mercer
Marco Ortiz, Furman
Clint Ritter, Furman
Tony Santibanez, Furman
Eric Steber, Furman
Most Outstanding Player
Clint Ritter, Furman
2014 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship
Nov. 8 (Saturday)
First round (at higher seeds) (SoCon Digital Network)
Match 1: No. 4 UNCG 2, No. 5 ETSU 1 (2OT)
Match 2: No. 3 Furman 1, No. 6 VMI 0
Nov. 13 (Thursday)
Semifinals (Greensboro, N.C.) (SoCon Digital Network)
Match 3: No. 3 Furman 1, No. 2 Wofford 0
Match 4: No. 1 Mercer 1, No. 4 UNCG 0 (2OT)
Nov. 15 (Saturday)
Final (Greensboro, N.C.) (ESPN3)
Match 5: No. 3 Furman 1, No. 1 Mercer 0
The Paladins (12-5-3) will learn their postseason fate Monday at 1 p.m., when the NCAA Selection Show airs on NCAA.com. Furman will be making its first NCAA appearance since earning an at-large bid in 2011.
With the teams locked in a scoreless battle late, Furman finally broke through at the 81:17 mark, when Hawke nodded home the game’s lone goal. Hart Zwing and Bobby Edet picked up assists on the play, with Zwing dropping a pass back to Edet, who crossed the ball in from the right wing for Hawke.
Furman weathered a flurry of Mercer chances in remaining minutes of the match for its SoCon-best 12th title all-time and first since 2007. The regular-season champion Bears (14-7-0), in their first season in the SoCon, were trying for their first.
The Paladins won the tournament with stout defensive play, picking up 1-0 victories over No. 6 seed VMI and No. 2 seed Wofford in addition to Mercer. Furman became the first team since UNCG in 2006 to win the tournament without allowing a goal and just the sixth since tournament play began in 1988.
Furman keeper Sven Lissek was credited with the shutout Saturday without having to make a save, as the Paladin defense held Mercer to just six shots, none of which was on goal. Lissek’s shutout was his 11th of the season, tying the SoCon single-season, and the 20th of his career, which is tied for seventh in league annals.
Furman had the majority of the scoring chances on the evening, starting in the 11th minute, when tournament Most Outstanding Player Clint Ritter ripped a shot from 25 yards out with Mercer keeper Greg Ranjitsingh pulled well out of goal. Bears defender Max Poore was there for the team save, however, heading the ball to safety.
Minutes later, Kevin Pahl sent a screaming shot just wide of the right post.
One of Mercer’s best chances came on a corner kick in the 27th minute. Chandler Klemm fired a shot from close range that was blocked by Furman’s Tony Santibanez, and SoCon Freshman of the Year Will Bagrou’s follow attempt sailed high.
In the second half, Hawke nearly scored on a header in the 69th minute, pushing it just wide, and a minute later, Edet put an excellent strike on frame that forced a diving save from Ranjitsingh.
After Furman’s go-ahead strike in the 82nd minute, Mercer pushed the offensive tempo, earning four corner kicks in the final 8:43 of the game. The Bears were able to get off a pair of shots, but neither was on frame.
Ranjitsingh, the SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year, finished with three saves in the losing effort.
Ritter was joined on the all-tournament team by Furman teammates Marco Ortiz, Tony Santibanez and Eric Steber. Mercer was represented on the squad by Ranjitsingh, Bagrou and Ashani Samuels.
All-Tournament Team
Jacques Francois, UNCG
Aaron Reifschneider, UNCG
Carlos Dominguez-Gonzalez, Wofford
Charlie Keeley, Wofford
Will Bagrou, Mercer
Greg Ranjitsingh, Mercer
Ashani Samuels, Mercer
Marco Ortiz, Furman
Clint Ritter, Furman
Tony Santibanez, Furman
Eric Steber, Furman
Most Outstanding Player
Clint Ritter, Furman
2014 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship
Nov. 8 (Saturday)
First round (at higher seeds) (SoCon Digital Network)
Match 1: No. 4 UNCG 2, No. 5 ETSU 1 (2OT)
Match 2: No. 3 Furman 1, No. 6 VMI 0
Nov. 13 (Thursday)
Semifinals (Greensboro, N.C.) (SoCon Digital Network)
Match 3: No. 3 Furman 1, No. 2 Wofford 0
Match 4: No. 1 Mercer 1, No. 4 UNCG 0 (2OT)
Nov. 15 (Saturday)
Final (Greensboro, N.C.) (ESPN3)
Match 5: No. 3 Furman 1, No. 1 Mercer 0
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