Box Score

MANCHESTER, N.H. - For the first time since 2002, the Mercyhurst men's soccer team will advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals. The Lakers recorded a 2-1 win over Gannon University on Friday afternoon in the Atlantic Regional Championship. Senior Austin Solomon scored the game-winning goal to advance the Lakers to Sunday's match.

At the 33:43 mark of the first half, Mercyhurst pushed through first to get on the board. Sophomore Fernando Martinez took the throw in on Gannon's side of the pitch to sophomore Eylae Dagne. Dagne chipped the ball over his head to senior Alex Manea who finished with a header into the middle, left corner of the net, marking his 15th goal of the season.

Gannon led in shots on goal three to one, but Mercyhurst kept the pressure on, outshooting Gannon 13-6.  Mercyhurst had a four to three advantage in corners.
 
Mercyhurst would hold the lead throughout the majority of the second, with Gannon having a slight shot advantage of two to one on net, and six to three overall.  
 
Solomon scored at the 79:33 mark, when Martinez gave him the go ahead ball, creating a one-on-one with the goaltender.  Solomon chipped it past Gannon's goaltender 15 yards out to the left side of the net.
 
Gannon kept the pressure on and with less than eight minutes in regulation time, Alex Perri notched his seventh goal of the season and decreased the Lakers' lead to one.  Tyler Hollinsworth crossed the ball seven yards out from the goal, where Perri made a back heel, toe volley to fool Lakers' goaltender senior Mikko Sarkkinen. But the Knights could not get the equalizer.

After the match, Solomon noted: "It was nerve-racking, I just kept telling everyone to calm down and to keep your heads up.”
 
All told, the Lakers outshot Gannon 16-to-12 throughout the entire match.  Freshman Sten Marcson led the Lakers with four shots, while Manea and Solomon both took three shots. 
 
Sarkkinen (3-0-0) made two saves in net for the Lakers, playing the entire 90:00 minutes and allowing only one goal.  He made his third start this season, with two of them coming in the post-season.  Head coach Dale White said afterwards, “The difference between the two goaltenders is like splitting hairs.  The difference that sets apart Diego from Mikko was continuity…It's rare that you have two goaltenders with such skill and I'm glad he's (Mikko's) finally getting his opportunity.”
 
Gannon's goaltender Jason Barbarino made five saves and allowed two in 90:00 minutes.
 
Mercyhurst continues to fight through the NCAA tournament, advancing to the Quarterfinals on Sunday and improved its record to 16-5-1.  With this being Solomon's senior season, he is ready for Sunday's match. “We want more.  Previous years we have gotten to the same stages, but this is new territory for all of us”.
 
The Lakers will play the East Regional Champions on Sunday, November 18.  The match is set to start at 1:00 p.m.  The winner of Sunday's match will continue on to the Final Four in Evans, Georgia.