GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (Aug. 31, 2022) – Powered by goals from junior Carlos Fernandes (Lisbon, Portugal/Spring Hill College), freshman Nicolás Cerda (Santiago, Chile/Andree English School) and senior Benjamin Van Buren (Anderson, S.C./USC Upstate), the Mercy College men's soccer team earned a 3-3 draw at Adelphi University on Wednesday night at Motamed Field.

The Mavericks (2-0-1) and Panthers (2-0-1) both remain unbeaten on the season. Mercy scored the first three goals Adelphi has surrendered this season.

Cerda scored his first collegiate goal and Fernandes netted his first goal as a Maverick. Van Buren recorded his team-leading second goal of the year. Junior Daniel Rodriguez (Caracas, Venezuela/Erskine College) dished out a game-high two assists and sophomore Martin Penafiel (Santiago, Chile/Colegio Verbo Divino) also had an assist. Sophomore Eirik Elvestad (Oslo, Norway/Blindern VGS) made two saves in his second start of the season.

Adelphi was led by Victor Castel who had a game-high two goals. Rodrigo Descalzo Rocca had a goal and an assist. Daniel De La Heras made three saves.

The Panthers wasted little time in finding the back of the net as Castel scored in the 3rd minute of action to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 until the 13th minute when Cerda scored his first collegiate goal, off an assist from Rodriguez, to tie the game at 1-1.

Adelphi retook the lead at 2-1 in the 28th minute following another Castel goal. The Panther held the 2-1 lead heading into the final minute of play in the first half. However, Fernandes tied the game up again with his first goal as a Maverick, following another Rodriguez assist, to even the game at 2-2 heading into halftime.

The game stayed tied until the 61st minute when Rocca scored on a penalty kick to give the hosts a 3-2 lead. Adelphi looked to hold on for the win, but Mercy had other plans and tied the game up again at 3-3 following Van Buren's second goal of the season in the 79th minute off a Penafiel assist.

Elvestad made a late stop in the 85th minute to keep the game tied. Neither team could break the tie and the game ended in a 3-3 draw.

Mercy held a 14-11 edge in shots and a 6-5 edge in shots on goal. Adelphi held a 5-1 edge in corner kicks.

Head Coach Pedro Velazquez and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, September 3rd when they play at Southern Connecticut State at 2 p.m.