Box Score Championship Central
MACON, Ga. – Leaving it all on the field, the Belmont University men's soccer team saw its historic 2021 season come to an end in the Southern Conference Championship title match Sunday afternoon in Macon, Georgia. The fourth-seeded Bruins (13-5-1) were narrowly edged 4-3 with a late-match goal by second-seeded Mercer University in the 88th minute of the conference tournament final at Betts Stadium.
Senior forward Liam O'Brien recorded his third career brace in the first half and Belmont held a 2-0 lead following 21 minutes of play, but the host Bears (10-7-1) scored two goals in the final seven minutes before the break. Mercer then found the back of the net twice in the second half to claim the 2021 SoCon Men's Soccer Championship crown.
In an action-packed, seven-goal affair that had just five combined corner kicks but 14 combined shots on goal, the Bruins were unable to convert on opportunities in the closing minutes. Two-time defending SoCon Defensive Player of the Month Drew Romig made five saves on the afternoon, but the Bears were able to get four of their nine shots on target through the posts.
Belmont finished with six shots on goal, scoring on half of its attempts, but was outshot 13-9 overall.
Competing in their second consecutive SoCon Championship title match, the Bruins took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute when O'Brien struck his 10th goal of the season off a pass from senior froward Ares Marlonsson. Just moments later, O'Brien looped in his team-leading 11th goal of the fall when he charged a Mercer defender and deflected a clear attempt all the way into the net. The second score of the match gave Belmont a 2-0 advantage just 21 minutes in.
A penalty kick goal by the Bears' Dylan Gaither in the 39th minute got the home team on the board and Mercer knotted things up at 2-2 in the 41st minute with Gaither's second goal of the half.
The Bears took their first lead of the afternoon right around the 70th minute when forward Michael Ille punched in his fifth goal of the season. However, the lead would be short lived as senior midfielder Esteban Lestido headed in his second goal of the year on a corner kick from senior forward Niccolo Dagnoni in the 80th minute, making it an even 3-3 match with 10 minutes to go.
After both teams exchanged attacks, Mercer's Trevor Martineau got free for a game-winning strike with just two-and-a-half minutes remaining. The goal was eerily similar to Martineau's game winner in double overtime against the Bruins three weeks ago in Macon when he found the back of the net with 2:45 showing.
The loss caps a remarkable season for Belmont, one in which the Bruins set program records for wins (13), consecutive victories (6), shutouts (9) and home triumphs (9). For the first time in school history, Belmont received a vote in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Coaches Poll and achieved a regional ranking in the South Region.
For their outstanding play in three SoCon Championship matches Sunday and last weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina, Romig, Dagnoni and O'Brien were all named to the 2021 SoCon All-Tournament Team following the title match.
Of Note
With his assist on Lestido's second-half goal, Dagnoni became the program's all-time leader in assists with 26 over his four-year career. The Milan, Italy, native completes his Bruin career second in program history in points (60) and tied for third in goals (17). Dagnoni also set the school's single-season record for assists with 11 this fall.
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media - @BelmontMSoccer on Twitter and @belmontmsoccer on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
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