ROCK HILL, S.C. - Jonny Mercado (Lilburn, Ga.) scored a late goal in the Presbyterian College men's soccer team's road match against Winthrop on Wednesday, but time ran out before the Blue Hose could complete a comeback bid as Winthrop took a 2-1 victory.
PC falls to 3-12-0 on the year and 3-4-0 in Big South Conference play. Winthrop improves to 6-9-0 overall and 3-3-0 in league action.
Mercado scored his third goal in two games thanks to an Ignacio Monchetti (Montevideo, Uruguay) assist in the 80th minute to cut Winthrop's two-goal lead in half. The Eagle goalkeeper, Enrique Miranda, came out to defend a cross and Mercado redirected a Monchetti shot into the open net to put the Blue Hose on the scoreboard.
The goal marks Mercado's fourth of the year, tying him with Byron Quinatoa (Santo Domingo de los Colorados, Ecuador) for the team lead in that category. The assist also gives Monchetti his team-leading fifth helper.of the season.
PC matched up evenly with Winthrop, gaining three corner kicks to one and tallying five shots on goal to the Eagles' seven. Four of PC's chances on net came in the second half as the squad looked to rally from a deficit.
Luke Ade (Alpharetta, Ga.) led the Blue Hose with four shots on the night. Mercado posted two shots on goal, as did Quinatoa.
PC goalkeeper Ethan Watson made five saves in the effort in his 11th start of the season.
Winthrop took an early lead on a goal in the 23rd minute. Josh Mort sent a throw-in to Josh Goldstein, who flicked the ball to Tomas Brennan. Brennan found the low right corner for a goal and the Eagles led, 1-0.
The Blue Hose came within inches of tying up the contest shortly after Winthrop's goal. Matthew Palma (Greenville, S.C.) took a shot in the 28th minute that hit the post and bounced into the hands of Miranda. PC looked for an equalizer but Winthrop took its 1-0 lead into halftime.
Oliver Nobels (Columbia, S.C.) tested the Eagles with a shot in the 55th minute but Winthrop would find its second score of the match two minutes after. Andres Pullin controlled a clearance and tucked a shot into the lower left corner to extend the Eagle lead to 2-0.
The Blue Hose turned up the heat on offense after the Winthrop score, as Ade put a shot on net and PC kept up the pressure that eventually led to Mercado's goal in the 80th minute.
Mercado notched another shot on goal four minutes before the end of regulation but Winthrop held off the Blue Hose attack to take the result, 2-1.
The Blue Hose returns to Clinton for its final home contest of 2011 on Wednesday, November 2, when PC hosts Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m.
