Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's soccer team continued its strong play and ran its unbeaten streak to a league-best five straight games Tuesday night as the Spartans travelled to Macon, Ga., and posted a 3-2 victory over reigning Southern Conference regular season champion Mercer. Senior forward Ben Burdon (Charlotte, N.C./High Point) scored a career-high two goals in the victory, including the game-winning tally in the 72nd minute of play.
The Spartans return to action Saturday night when they host SoCon foe Wofford. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium and the Spartans will honor their seniors prior to the game on senior night.
The victory Tuesday night gave the Spartans the regular season series sweep over the Bears just one year after dropping three games to Mercer (two in regular season, one in SoCon Tournament). Additionally, the victory kept the Spartans in sole possession of second place in the SoCon standing with a 4-1-2 record (14 points), just two points behind league leader Furman with 16 points (5-1-1). The Spartans also picked up some breathing room below them in the standings as Mercer and Wofford both lost Tuesday dropping them to 3-3-1 in league play in third place with 10 points.
The Spartans (8-5-3, 4-1-2 SoCon) opened the scoring quickly, scoring just 4:38 into the game. Freshman midfielder Leeroy Maguraushe (Milton Keynes, England/Stantonbury) won the ball in the midfield and found Burdon making a run down the middle. Burdon took his first touch and was able to beat his defender, getting space at the top of the 18-yard box where he sent a low shot back across the grain beating Jeremy Booth for the early 1-0 lead.
UNCG extended its lead to 2-0 in the 19th minute of play. Senior forward Jacques Francois (Port Au Prince, Haiti/Louisburg College) made a run down the right-hand side and was able to turn the corner on the end line. Francois beat two defenders to slot a ball back into the box. Maguraushe was there and poked the ball past Booth for his fifth goal of the year and a 2-0 lead.
Mercer (8-6-1, 3-3-1 SoCon) was able to narrow the deficit just before halftime, taking advantage of a free kick in the 42nd minute of play. The Bears sent the ball into the box where Jordan Duru flicked the ball towards the back post. Ian Antley seemed in a likely offside position but was not called and his header beat freshman goalkeeper Jon Milligan (Mount Pleasant, S.C./Wando) to narrow the gap to 2-1.
Mercer came all the way back and tied the game in the 60th minute as it took advantage of another free kick. This time Kobe Perez ripped a shot just over the UNCG wall from 18-yards out into the side netting past Milligan to tie the game at 2-2. Mercer had another chance on a free kick in the 68th minute but this time Perez's shot went through the UNCG wall but Milligan came up with a key save to keep the game tied at 2-2.
After UNCG weathered the Mercer storm to start the second half, the Spartans retook the lead in the 72nd minute of play. Maguraushe sent a ball to Burdon on the right-hand side. Burdon ripped a shot from 15-yards out that was blocked by the defender but he corralled his own rebound and on the second attempt rocketed a shot past Booth into the back of the goal for his second of the game and a 3-2 UNCG advantage.
Burdon finished the night with two goals, raising his season total to three tallies. Additionally, Francois picked up his league-leading sixth assist of the year to run is SoCon-best point total to 16 (5g, 6a).
-UNCG-
