NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Sept. 7, 2019) – Powered by goals from senior Ignacio Mangada (Alicante, Spain/Campbellsville University) and sophomore Steven Fernandez (Rego Park, N.Y./Iona College), the No. 24 Mercy College men's soccer team earned a 2-2 tie with Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon at Jess Dow Field.
The Mavericks (1-0-1) remain unbeaten, while the Owls (0-0-1) earn a tie in their season opener.
Mangada and Fernandez both tallied their first goals of the season and senior Santiago Corral (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Instituto Francesco Faa Di Bruno) and junior Nigel Hawthorne (Queens, N.Y./Millersville University) added an assist. Junior Joel Serrano (Arecibo, P.R./Marshalltown CC) made five saves in goal.
Southern Connecticut received goals from Ignasi Perez and Juan Avila. Aren Seeger made nine saves in net.
Mercy wasted little time in getting on the board when they scored in the 11th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Hawthorne and Corral fed Mangada a pass and the senior shot from the left side to give the Mavericks the early lead.
The game remained 1-0 heading into halftime with Serrano making three saves and Seeger stopping three shots as well in the first half.
The Owls tied the game up in the 54th minute when Avila scored on an assist from Devante Teixeira. Just under seven minutes later Southern Connecticut scored to take a 2-1 lead in the 61st minute.
The score stayed at 2-1 heading into the late stages of the game when Fernandez found the back of the net to tie the game up at 2-2 in the 81st minute. Mercy answered with two more shots on goal but Seeger stopped both to send the game into overtime.
In the first overtime period Fernandez had a shot hit the post and Seeger made two saves but another overtime would be needed.
The final overtime period saw the Mavericks record two more shots on goal but Seeger stopped both. Neither team could score and the game ended in a tie.
Mercy held a 19-8 edge in shots and a 9-0 edge in corner kicks.
Head Coach Pedro Velazquez and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, September 12th when they host Franklin Pierce at 4 p.m.
