Mars Hill Falls to Flagler in NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship
The 10th-ranked Flagler College Saints advanced to the Quarterfinals of NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship with a 3-0 win over Mars Hill College on Sunday afternoon. The win improves Flagler to 17-3-2, while Mars Hill's season comes to an end with a record of 13-6-1.
HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The 10th-ranked Flagler College Saints advanced to the Quarterfinals of NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship with a 3-0 win over Mars Hill College on Sunday afternoon. The win improves Flagler to 17-3-2, while Mars Hill's season comes to an end with a record of 13-6-1.
The Saints got on the board very early with a tip-in goal from Mack Hough off a cross from Pol Berenguer in the third minute of play. Berenguer picked up his second assist of the game in the 21st minute of play. This time it was Joseph Toby on the other end of the pass, as he sent a diving header past the Lions' Zac Scott to make it 2-0 in favor of Flagler.
The score remained 2-0 through the rest of the first half and nearly the entire second half, until Zach Shananhan broke lose on a breakaway in the final minute of play to make it 3-0 Flagler.
The Saints controlled the pace of play the entire match, outshooting Mars Hill 21-6, but Scott was spectacular in the net for the Lions with a single-game school record 15 saves, breaking the previous mark of 12 set by Jonathan Adams (vs. Newberry in 2004) and Alex Huckabee (twice in 2009: vs. Wingate and Tuwsculum). Flagler's Camp Bissell made three saves in the match.
Mars Hill's Andres Diaz paced the team offensively with two shots on goal. Rury Caulfield had one shot on goal.
The Lions end the 2011 season establishing new school records fewest goals allowed (15) and tying a school record for most shutouts (9). The previous records were held by the 1998 team which allowed only 20 goals and the 2010 squad which also posted nine shutouts.
Scott set new school records this season. He allowed a record-low 15 goals, posted a goals against average of only 0.76, and tied the record for most shutouts (7). Pat Piscatelli previously had allowed only 20 goals in 1998 and posted a goals against average of 1.04 in 1997. Scott also posted seven shutouts in 2010, as did Piscatelli in 1998 and Sean Merfeld in 2007.
- Courtesy Mars Hill Media Relations