16 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(03/21/14 12:45am)
The Mercer University men’s tennis team hosted their conference opener this past weekend, March 14 and 15, against Northern Kentucky University and Lipscomb University. The team has been looking forward to the beginning of conference play all season.
“We had our ups and downs in matches,” said sophomore Arsav Mohanty. “However, we are ready to face teams in our conference and earn some wins.”
The Bears schedule this season has included many top tier programs, specifically, Auburn and Florida State. After facing such intense opponents, the team was no doubt prepared for the competition that the conference would bring.
“We will expect great results from everyone on the team as we enter into conference play,” said Mohanty.
The Bears are 1-1 in conference after this weekend. On Friday, they dropped a close match to Lipscomb 3-4. The Bears came out strong in the beginning and won both of the doubles points.
In addition, the Bears won the number one and number six singles seed. Sophomore Oliver Snaider and senior Joao Pagan captured these wins for the Bears. However, Mercer’s tough play was not enough to combat Lipscomb’s wins in two, three, four and five singles slots.
The Bears returned with a vengeance on Saturday when they took on the Northern Kentucky Norse. The Bears defeated the Norse 5-2.
Once again, the team started off strong, winning the number two and three seed doubles and capturing the doubles point. Pairs Arsav, Arnav Mohanty, Joao Pagan and Anderson Scarpa led the Bears to an early 1-0 lead.
This time out, the Bears did not drop the singles points. Scarpa and Mohanty won the number two and six singles seeds respectively. In addition, sophomore Austin Emmit contributed a win in the number five singles seed.
The team is continuing to see improvements in play with each match. “Most of us have been struggling,” said Mohanty, “But we are continuing to play better. We are looking forward to the rest of the season and know that we will be playing out best in the conference matches that matter most.”
The Bears know that competition will be tough in conference. They are taking each match as it comes, continuing to work hard in practice and mentally prepare for each opponent.
“Our next conference matches are Florida Gulf Coast University and Stetson University,” said senior Joao Pagan, “We have been preparing mentally and physically for these matches. While we are not overlooking our games next weekend, we have our sights set on winning many conference matches.”
The Bears will take a break from conference play for the next week when they face Georgia Southern University and Bradley.
(03/21/14 12:40am)
The Mercer University women’s basketball team wrapped up a great season this past week in Fort Myers, Fla. The Bears took the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament by storm Tuesday evening when they beat the Jacksonville University Dolphins to advance to the semifinals.
The Dolphins had beaten Mercer the Saturday before the tournament. So, there was not much sweeter revenge for the Bears than sending Jacksonville home early in the tournament. This was the second consecutive year that the Bears have advanced to the semifinals.
“The first round of the tournament was great,” said junior Alicia Williams, “We had at least four players in double figures and all out great effort from the team as a whole.”
Williams led the team offensively with 17 points while junior Teanna Robinson led the Bears defense with 14 rebounds.
“It was probably our best game of the season, and everyone contributed” stated Williams. The Bears were stoked about their performance and carried a lot of momentum into the semifinals when they would take on the number one seed, the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles.
The Eagles took the lead early in the first half with multiple three-point shots. They continued to stretch the lead, and the Bears could not keep up, despite their effort. The Eagles eventually bested the Bears with a 64-47 win to advance to the finals.
Despite the loss, the Bears did not leave the tournament or the season without several great honors. Multiple players were nominated for both in season and tournament honors.
Seniors Kendra Grant and Kate Alemann received in season conference awards. Grant was selected to second All-Conference team and is ranked 16th in points per game in the Atlantic Sun.
Alemann was named, with just six other players from the Atlantic Sun, to the
Academic All-Conference team. Alemann finished the season with a 4.0 and will be graduating with a degree in Biology.
In addition, Robinson was recognized twice this season. First, Robinson was named Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year. After the tournament, she was named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Bears are nowhere near disappointed with the season. “Overall, I think that we had a good season,” said Williams, “I am proud of our progress and development as a team. I think we have a lot of motivation going into the next season.”
Williams and the team both gave 100 percent of their efforts towards the season. “You never want to look back on a season and have things that you should’ve and would’ve done. You have to give everything that you have from start to finish each season.”
(02/21/14 2:28am)
The Mercer Women’s basketball team played two more conference series in the past two weeks. On Feb. 6 and 8, the Bears faced Northern Kentucky and Lipscomb at home. After a close loss to the Norse, the Bears came back with a vengeance to secure a five-point victory over the Lipscomb Bisons.
A week later, the team travelled to Florida to take on Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast. The Stetson Hatters are currently undefeated at home and ranked No. 1 in the conference. While the Bears fought hard against both teams, they could not pull out a win.
“Those are the three top teams in our conference right now,” said senior Sharnea Boykin. “While they are very good teams they are still not invincible. They are tough match ups that force our team to have to focus on doing every little thing the right way.”
After the weekend, the Bears are even more determined to get better each practice in order to succeed in conference.
“We have had a lot of tough losses and some close heartbreakers,” said junior Teanna Robinson. “However, I don’t think we have peaked yet, so I am still expecting some exciting things to happen.”
Throughout the season, the Bears have hit some key milestones. Junior guard Precious Bridges reached the 1,000-point career milestone. Boykin surpassed the school’s assist record, and Robinson broke the school record in blocks in a single game. Robinson has been rallying back and forth for the No. 1 spot in blocked shots in the nation. These few standouts will no doubt help the team secure some important wins.
The Bears will continue their efforts to improve, knowing that the competition is only going to get better.
“The conference is competitive and anyone can be beaten on any given night,” said Boykin. “The conference is strong and every game is an exciting match up.”
The team knows they need to focus on one game at a time. It is important to take each team seriously, especially on the road to the conference tournament.
“As long as we play as a unit and execute the game plan we will come out victorious,” stated Boykin. “We don’t expect anyone to just roll over and die for us.”
The Bears still have plenty of time left in the season to move up in the conference standings and increase their chances of succeeding in the A-Sun Tournament.
“I know that we have gotten off to a rough start, but it’s not how you start it’s how you finish,” said Robinson. “I think we can finish big.”
The team will continue their push for an A-Sun Championship each day. The Bears will face University of South Carolina-Upstate and East Tennessee State University this Thursday and Saturday, Feb. 20 and 22 in Hawkins Arena.
(02/06/14 9:51pm)
The Mercer University women’s basketball team won the two conference games this past week. On Jan. 25, the Bears bested East Tennessee State University in a tough battle. This is the Buccaneers’ fourth straight loss to Mercer, and a great end for the Bears’ losing streak. All conference games are critical for the Bears, and any win can help boost Atlantic Sun standings. However, the win against ETSU was crucial for the Bears.
When asked to comment on the most important game they have played, junior guard Briana Williams responded, “All of the conference games are important, but [this win] was very important because it would have decided whether we moved up or down in conference.” The win against ETSU placed the Bears in the top five spots in the Atlantic Sun standings. The top six teams advance to the tournament. This top five positioning gives the Bears great opportunity for advancement before the conference tournament.
The Bears carried the momentum from the win over ETSU into their game versus rival Kennesaw State University on Feb. 2. The Bears came out strong against the Owls with a 13-point lead. Williams led the bears in scoring with a season high of 24 points. The 64-59 victory over Kennesaw was an intense, exciting win for the Bears.
In addition to the two win streak, the Bears’ junior guard Precious Bridges scored the 1000th point of her career. She was not even aware that she was close to the career milestone.
“It feels awesome. You really don’t have to prepare to make 1000 points. It’s just something that happens,” said Bridges. Bridges and the team are staying focused on the ultimate goal of a conference championship. She knows that the team is ready to do great things. She said, “The team meshes well. Everybody on the team is different, and everybody gives us something unique.”
The Bears continue to push every practice. They work on their fitness, execution and chemistry as a team. With each practice, the team progresses in skill level and chemistry. There have been a few games this season that were close, and the team just could not seal the deal. In order to do well in conference, the Bears are working on winning those tight situations. They know that conference will be tough, and every game is an important win.
“The conference is very competitive because we know each other so well. Anyone could win, and the games are usually all fairly close and come down to every possession,” said Williams.
Even though the bears started off a little rough in the beginning of conference play, both Williams and Bridges believe that the team has the ability and work ethic to get back on top. They are pumped after these two exciting wins to experience the madness in March.
The Bears next conference games are Thursday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 8. They will take on Northern Kentucky University and Lipscomb University in Hawkins Arena.
(02/06/14 9:50pm)
The Mercer University men’s tennis team finally ended their five game losing streak and seemingly rough start to the 2014 season. However, the Bears faced intense competition and have had the opportunity to really improve their skills and confidence. They faced Auburn, Florida State and Arkansas all in preconference play.
“We have had a pretty tough schedule to start the season, but it’s been good for us to see where we are as of now and what we have to do to get better as the year advances,” said sophomore Arnav Mahoney
Senior Joao Pagan agreed. “This year we have really good chances and played ranked schools and had tight matches. We are all pumped. We have been working hard and getting better,” said Pagan.
The hard work paid off when the Bears earned their second win of the season against Alabama State University on Friday, Jan. 31. This match was the Bears’ first home match of the season. While Alabama State won the doubles point, the Bears came on strong winning the one, two and three singles slots.
The team’s morale was not down at all. They know that the tough competition is only making them better. This came to fruition as the Bears defeated Davidson on Feb. 2. They won the match five games to two. The Bears won both doubles points and three singles. Freshman Manuel clinched the match winning his last singles game.
In order to keep on winning, the Bears are putting in lots of work both on and off the tennis court. During practice, they run drills to target the areas where they need improvements. In addition, they have been doing conditioning specific to tennis. This involves many sprints, suicides and aggressively moving in different directions.
“Everyone is focused and practicing hard,” said Pagan. “This gives us a lot of confidence and great things are ahead of us. The program is certainly going in the right direction.”
Mahoney also believes that the Bears have the ability to achieve greatness. “I think we had a rough start to a tough schedule, but we are starting to turn things around. We got a great group of guys who are putting in the work. As a group we are just working on playing with more confidence and to compete better every match.”
This confidence will allow the Bears to succeed in conference play and advance to the tournament.
“Our expectations for the rest of the season are to keep playing better and better and to be ready to perform at our best for the conference matches and tournament,” says Mahoney.
The Bears are still in preseason play and will travel to South Alabama, UNC Wilmington and Wofford next weekend.
(01/23/14 3:25am)
After two and a half months of non-conference play, the Mercer women’s basketball team began conference play in January. The Bears held a winning record after non-conference play. They had seven wins and four losses heading into the new year.
The Bears won their home conference opener against the University of North Florida on Jan. 2. Junior guard Briana Williams lead the team with 20 points. The Bears fought hard and came out on top of the Ospreys 62-48, winning their first conference match.
Two days later, the Bears were back on the court to face off the Jacksonville University Dolphins. They fought hard, however, were unable to pull out a win. Junior guard, Precious Bridges led the team with 19 points.
Just five short days later, the Bears were on the road to face Northern Kentucky University and Lipscomb University. During Friday’s game against Northern Kentucky, Precious Bridges scored her 1,000th career point. She is now the 23rd player in Mercer University history to accomplish this goal. She is also the sixth player currently playing in the Atlantic Sun Conference with 1000 career points.
Sharnea Boykin scored a career high of 14 points against Northern Kentucky and now leads the Atlantic Sun with 6.4 assists per game.
The Bears won their fourth conference game against Lipscomb University on Saturday. The game was tied until the last three minutes of the game when the Bears broke away, coming out on top with a 79-72 victory over the Bisons. Bridges notched another 20-point game while Boykin had nine assists. Teanna Robinson had 14 rebounds and led the Bears defense very effectively. This win gave the Bears huge momentum as they returned home to face Florida Gulf Coast University and Stetson University.
The Bears faced heartbreak again when they could not fend off the Stetson Hatters. Stetson had five players shoot double digits The Bears stayed within three points until the last fifteen minutes of the game when the Hatters pulled away to a 72-60 victory. Alicia Williams led the Bears offensively with a season-high of 18 points.
On Saturday, Williams and Boykin led the Bears offensively with 20 and 15 points respectively. Boykin led the team with four assists, and Robinson added eight rebounds to the defensive effort. However, this was not enough to secure the win.
In addition to their hard work on the court, the women’s basketball team is highly involved in the community. “We all do a program called Streets to Success where we tutor boys and girls and help them with problems and also share fellowship with them,” says freshman Taylor McClintock.
McClintock is new to the team this year but super excited to be involved in the program. “The team is great, we’re like a big family. We love to have fun, we dance a lot, but we just enjoy each other’s company,” said McClintock.
The team had many goals for the season, but McClintock says that the main goal is to win the Atlantic Sun conference tournament. The Bears will continue to push towards this goal as they travel to USC Upstate on Jan. 23.
(01/23/14 3:21am)
Senior Langston Hall is the point guard for the Mercer Bears men’s basketball team. The Stone Mountain native began playing basketball at the age of four. Seventeen years later, he finds himself at Mercer University still playing the game he fell in love with at such a young age.
Throughout his life, his parents have always pushed him to work hard in order to succeed. “They made me do well in school in order to play basketball which at the time I wasn’t too happy about, but it paid off,” says Hall.
His parents have always been, and still are, Hall’s role models. “They have always practiced what they preached. They also always work hard and never give up on anything no matter the task,” said Hall. His parents’ examples have inspired him to be the student-athlete he is today.
As finance major, Hall chose Mercer for its great academic reputation. In addition, Hall saw potential in the basketball program.
“I thought we had a good recruiting class, so we had a chance to be good in the future.” Hall debuted at Mercer in the Fall of 2010 and still plays beside four of the same teammates from his recruiting class.
After four years of competition for the Bears, Hall has finally gotten his pregame ritual down to a science. “I try and take a nap early in the afternoon.”
After the much needed rest, Hall says he “gets to the gym two hours before the game to get in some extra shots.” This extra practice allows him to stay focused as he and his team prepare to win each game.
Hall’s goal for the team this year is “to win the regular season conference championship and to win the conference tournament championship.”
During his sophomore year, Hall and his class led the team to The College Insider Tournament (CIT) championship: his best basketball memory. Hall confessed, “I still get goose bumps when I watch the recap video.”
CIT is a post-season tournament. In order to become champions, the Bears had to win five games.
“Our first 2 games were at home against Tennessee State and Georgia State. Then, we went on the road and beat a very good Old Dominion team. From there we went to play at Fairfield and beat them in a tight game” explained Hall.
The most intense and final game was against Utah State. “It was the loudest gym we had ever played in, and beating them on their home court, where they rarely lose, was something special” said Hall.
When asked why he has continued his basketball career, Hall replies simply for “the love of the game” and states that he has “always enjoyed playing it [basketball].”
There is nothing more exciting than the thrill of competition and the camaraderie of a team. Hall has helped the Bears win their last four conference games, securing big wins against Kennesaw State University and Northern Kentucky University. The Bears will take on the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles at home in Hawkins arena at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23.
(11/10/13 3:40am)
The Men’s Golf team took on the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic this week along with three of the top fifty teams in the nation. The competition also consisted of five players ranked among the top 100 individuals. Mercer’s own freshman Emmanuel Kountakis is ranked 97th. As a team, the Bears are ranked 26th.
The lineup for the classic included seniors Hans Reimers and James Beale, junior Trey Rule and freshmen Sean Smothers and Kountakis. This was the same lineup that most recently won the Brickyard Collegiate last week.
The first round of the tournament did not go exactly as planned for the Bears, and they found themselves in the running for seventh place on the leaderboard. They scored 282, six strokes under, and 292, four strokes over par, in the two rounds played.
Reimers finished the day in sixth place, and Rule finished next for the Bears in 38th. Smothers was tied for 46th, and Beale and Kountakis tied each other for 58th.
On day two, however, the Bears stepped up their game and finished out the competition at sixth place. Rule led the individual performances with a tie for fourth place. This was a career best finish for Rule and his third time in the top-ten.
Reimers managed to stay in the top-20 and score 18th place individually. Beale, Kountakis, and Smothers came in 43rd, 60th and 69th respectively.
In regards to the performance at the Autotader.com Collegiate Classics, Rule states, “The team’s expectations haven’t changed. Though we had a tough last tournament, we are still very confident and sure we are one of the best teams in the country. We just need to focus on the little things first and take one shot at a time and the results will come as a result.”
The Bears have been doing just that. “In practice we have been working on drills and different games to show how important each shot is in a round,” said Rule. “We are working a lot on our short games because we can always get better with chipping and putting and that's where we are going to be seeing the most improvements.”
Golf is different from the normal concept of a team sport. There is an individual aspect to the game. “It is a different mentality because you are by yourself but I like to give my guys encouragement anytime I see them and I know they will do the same for me.” states Rule.
Even though individual honors are important, the Bears still play first as a team. “The team had the ultimate goal of being the first team in Mercer history to make it Regional’s as a team,” said Rule. “We all push each other to become the best we can be and keep each other accountable with practice, playing, workouts to keep each other in the best state to play well.”
The Bears will attend their final regular season competition on Nov 4th at the University of North Florida/Georgia Southern Intercollegiate at Deerwood Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla.
(11/10/13 3:06am)
The Bears played their last home game on Saturday, Oct. 26, against the University of North Florida Ospreys. Before the game, the Bears took a moment to honor the six seniors on the team: Ehjayson Henry, Joey Heavner, Ryan King, Brady O’Brien, Cole Mitchell and Micheal Lewis. Saturday’s game marked the last time these six seniors would play on Bear field.
Many of the seniors’ family and friends were present at the game to support the Bears in their last home game.
“It was a great honor to be a part of senior night,” said King. “After being a part of the Mercer Men’s Soccer team for four years it was incredible to have the parents get to join us in a celebration of the program and its accomplishments.”
Unfortunately, the Bear’s could not pull out a win against the Osprey’s. Mercer goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh had four saves during the game. This moves him with 14 saves of breaking into the top-20 for the most saves in a career in Atlantic Sun Conference history.
In addition, Heavner recorded his 75th career start, breaking the all-time Mercer record and moving into a tie for third for the most games started in a career in A-Sun Conference history.
Despite these accomplishments, the Ospreys were able to score giving the Bears a 0-1 loss.
“We created great opportunities and had great chances to win the game,” said King. “The season has been tough, but we're hopeful moving forward that we will be able to find a way into the conference tournament and make a run.”
The Bears stayed positive as they travelled to Georgia State on Oct. 29.
The Panthers scored quickly within the first 30 minutes of the game. However, the Bears were able to answer after halftime as Juan Jose Morales scored to tie the game at 1-1.
Sadly, the Panthers broke the tie before the Bears did, allowing them to win the game 1-2.
The Bears returned to conference play as they travelled to Northern Kentucky on Saturday.
The Bears earned a huge win over the Norse on Saturday. Not only did the win end NKU’s six game winning streak, but it boosted the Bears into sixth place in the A-Sun making them eligible for the conference tournament.
The score was tie at 0-0 at the end of regulation play. The Bears bested the Norse just four minutes into overtime as Henry, assisted by King and Heavner, scored the game-winning goal.
Henry’s goal and Heavner’s assist tied the two seniors in the record books. Henry ties Del Olaoye for most goals in a season, while Heavner ties Max Rooke for career assists.
The Bears will carry this momentum as they travel to their last regular season game against Lipscomb on Nov. 9.
(10/26/13 3:33am)
The Mercer Men’s Golf team started off the week strong after their Brickyard Championship. Two members of the team, senior Hans Reimers and freshman Emmanuel Kountakis, were named Atlantic Sun Co-Players of the Week. The Bears captured this title after leading the team to victory at the Brickyard Tournament.
The whole team also gathered recognition in GolfWeek magazine. The Bears were selected as Golfweek's Team of the Week and garnered the top spot in the outlet's "5 Things to Know Right Now". In addition, the win was also featured on the Golf Channel's Morning Drive program with host Gary Williams.
“[The Brickyard] was the first team win we have had in a few years, and our freshmen have played great,” said Reimers.
Next, the Bears travelled to Georgia State’s AutoTrader.com on Oct. 14 and 15.
The first day for the Bears started off a little less than expected. The Bears placed seventh at the end of the day on Monday. The team was led by Reimers who scored under 70 in both rounds.
The team stepped up their game in the last rounds on Tuesday to secure fifth place at the end of the tournament.
Senior Trey Rule finished in an individual tie for fourth place. This was a career high finish for him, as well as his third top ten individual finish.
Reimers tied for 18th place, and senior James Beale shot a tournament total of 220 to tie for 43rd place.
The last two members of the team, freshman Emmanuel Kountakis and freshman Sean Smothers placed 60th and 69th respectively.
Mercer finishes its fall schedule at the University of North Florida/Georgia Southern Intercollegiate at Deerwood Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla. The two-day event begins Nov. 4.
(10/26/13 3:26am)
The Mercer Men’s Soccer team kicked off the past week of games when they hosted Incarnate Word on Oct. 10.
The Bears started the game off as senior Ehjayson Henry scored the first goal in the first eighteen minutes of the games. However, the Bears’ defense was unable to stop Incarnate Word’s offense. The opposing team scored three unanswered goals, giving the Bears a 3-1 loss at the end of the night.
The Bears did not have much time to dwell on the loss. They continued conference play just three days later as they hosted Jacksonville University at home.
The Jacksonville Dolphins scored a quick goal in the 12th minute of play. The score remained at 0-1 for the rest of the first half.
The Bears were able to answer the goal and tie the score at 1-1 after the half. The goal was scored by sophomore Juan Jose Morales and assisted by senior Joey Heavner. The assist place Heavner one away from the record for most assists in Mercer program history.
The record is currently held by Max Rooke who has twenty-two career assists. Heavner states, “It is certainly a great honor to be up there and to possibly break it. However, I am nowhere near the great playmaker that Max Rooke was.”
Heavner attributes his many assists to his good health and opportunity to take corner kicks, free kicks and long throws.
Although he is stoked about possibly breaking the record, Heavner is mainly focused on the success of his team. “All I can say is I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had, and hope that somehow we can find a way to win a championship this season,” said Heavner, “That would mean far more than any individual accomplishments.”
The Bears came one step closer to the championship when they traveled to Fort Myers, Fla., to take on Florida Gulf Coast University.
The Bears came away with a tie at the end of the night. This draw moved them up in the Atlantic Sun Conference standings. They are now tied for fifth with Northern Kentucky.
The Bears held the Eagles to their second tie in the past 20 home conference games. Greg Ranjitsingh had his second shutout of the season and made his 227th career save. The tie gave the Bears the momentum it needed as they traveled to DeLand, Fla., to face the Stetson Hatters.
The Hatters took charge of the game in the 14th minute of play. Unfortunately, they held their lead and eventually gave the Bears a disappointing 0-1 loss.
The Bears had twelve shots on goal in the second half, but they just could not get one into the net. They did have a chance to tie the score, however, the goal was waived by the referees due to an offside call.
“We had a tough first half of the season, but we’re trying to find new life in conference and get things rolling,” says Heavner. Hope is not lost yet, and the Bears are eager to get a win.
Mercer will return to Bear Field for their last home game of the season against University of North Florida on Saturday, Oct. 26.
(10/13/13 11:32pm)
The Men’s Golf team travelled to Simpsonville, Ky. to compete in the Cardinal Intercollegiate Monday Sept. 23 and Tuesday Sept. 24.
The team consisted of three seniors, James Beale, Trey Rule and Hans Reimers, and two freshmen, Sean Smothers and Emmanuel Kountakis. Four of these players helped the Bears capture fourth place at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate.
Monday morning, the Bears shot a disappointingly high round at ten strokes over. Both coaches and players were unhappy with the score, and determined to lower their score significantly in the second round Monday afternoon.
Led by a freshman, Kountakis, the Bears were able to overcome their deficit in round one to put the team in third place at the end of the first day.
The Bears also had individuals on the scoreboard after the first two rounds. Kountakis ended up in a tie for 13th place, and senior Beale was tied for eighth place. The team returned Tuesday with sights set on improving their position.
The team posted the lowest score of the competition. This allowed them to finish the competition in second place to host Louisville. Beale shot a great third round, and secured the fifth place individual position. Four of the Mercer men finished in the twenty individual positions.
This past weekend, the Bears hosted the Brickyard Collegiate Golf Tournament. The tournament hosted six of the nation’s top 30 teams as ranked by Golfweek magazine.
The Bears started the tournament off right with a great showing in the first round. It was their lowest scoring round in the past seven Brickyard championships.
Freshman Kountakis and his classmate Sean Smothers led the Bears in round one. The duo of seniors, Beale and Reimers, and junior rule posted strong, consistent showings as well. This record braking round was only enough to place the team in third place at the end of the round, a testament to the level of competition.
The Bears could not have shot a better round on Saturday. They broke their own record from the previous round, shooting a 272, the lowest single round in Brickyard history. This score moved the Bears from third place straight to first, giving them a great advantage for round three.
The Bears continued to outplay the competition to capture the championship title at the end of the weekend. Senior Reimers and freshman Kountakis took home individual co-champion medals as well. This was Reimers first medalist position of his college career. Kountakis notched the co-championship spot in just his second college appearance.
Other members of the team posted records themselves. Smothers recorded the first top ten spot of his career. Beale and Rule both finished in the top twenty individual positions.
Mercer outplayed Georgia Tech, ranked number two, Virginia Tech, Georgia and South Florida for their first tournament championship since 2011.
Senior James Beale states that “the team has definitely had its best ever start to a season in a long time. Things are looking very promising with three new freshman who are able to step up to the plate and post some scores along with myself, Hans Reimers and Trey Rule who are also getting better each and every year.”
There is a lot of competition to be the top player for the Bears this season. With solid returners and promising freshman, the Bears look forward to being unstoppable.
“We have always known that we were good enough but it’s been a matter of getting it done,” says Beale.
The Men’s Golf team certainly took care of business this weekend. They will continue to fight as they look forward to the Georgia State's AutoTrader.com Classic Oct. 14.
(10/13/13 11:31pm)
The Mercer Men’s soccer team travelled to play three ranked teams in the past week. The Bears first suffered a tough 0-4 loss to the No. 20 UAB on Sept. 21.
The Bears then travelled to Memphis to take on the No. 22 Tigers. The Bears started off a little slow, letting the Tigers gain a 2-0 lead. However, sophomore David Murtaugh scored a goal, helping the Bears cut the lead in half at 2-1. The defense could not fight off the Tigers, and the Bears eventually dropped the game 3-1.
Ready for a win, the Bears travelled to South Carolina to take on Presbyterian College. They started the game off right with a goal by Murtaugh, assisted by senior Ehjayson Henry, in the 31st minute of play.
The Bears kept the Blue Hose at zero, even extending the lead with a goal by Juan Jose Morales shortly after the half.
Presbyterian scored a goal late in the second half, bringing the score to 2-1. However, the Bears’ defense, led by goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh, kept the Blue Hose from scoring, securing the 2-1.
The win was a great way for the Bears to kick off their conference games on Oct. 4 and 6.
The Bears started their conference season with a 3-1 victory over USC Upstate. The Bears scored three goals, a season high, against the Trojans. This is the sixth straight conference opener win for the Bears.
Juan Jose Morales scored the first goal off an assist from senior Joey Heavner in the first four minutes of the game. The Bears kept their lead, holding off Upstate into the half.
Senior Ehjayson Henry scored the next goal for the Bears off an assist from senior Ryan King. This was Henry’s fifth goal of the season, a team high for the number of goals scored by a single player.
However the Bears did not stop there. Sophomore David Murtaugh scored off a breakaway, giving the Bears their third and final goal.
Heavner added two assists to his record in game, boosting him to 20 career assists. This places him second to Max Rooke in Mercer’s program history.
The Bears play their second conference game on Sunday versus East Tennessee State at 2pm.
The Bears put up a good fight against the Buccaneers, however, they could not pull out a victory. The men dropped their second conference game with a score of 2-0.
The Bucs started off the game in the seventeenth minute when David Geno, the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year, scoring the first goal of the game. The Bucs held that score going into halftime, and eventually posted a second goal, giving them a 2-0 lead over the Bears.
The Bears played a tight defense, and goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh contributed six saves during the game. However, the Bears were limited offensively. The Bucs defense allowed them only one shot on goal.
The Bears are now 1-1-0 in conference play and 3-8-0 overall. Sophomore David Murtaugh admits “it’s been a rough start so far; however, we did have one of the toughest opening schedules out of the teams in our conference.”
The Bears are not losing faith for the rest of conference play. In fact, Murtaugh believes that the team’s “chances for winning conference look good, but it’s going to be a close race between us, ETSU, and FGCU.”
The Bears will return on Oct. 10 to face Incarnate Word at 7 p.m. on Bear Field. They will resume conference play on Sunday, Oct. 13, against Jacksonville University.
(09/14/13 2:54am)
The Mercer University’s men’s soccer team kicked off their 2013 season with an exhibition game versus the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday, Aug. 18. The Bears went on to play Clemson, Elon, and UNC Wilmington the following week. Although they were unable to pull out a win, the team is looking at a successful season ahead.
“We got to play against very talented opponents and got a taste of what it feels like to play in big game,” said junior goalkeeper, Greg Ranjitsingh. “We still have a couple games before conference begins, but we are taking each game one at a time. Every time we are out on the field, we take it as an opportunity to improve.”
Ranjitsingh contributed eight saves in the effort to defeat the Gamecocks. Sophomore, Jason Sayers led the Bears with three shots.
The Bears fought hard to maintain a scoreless first half. However, the Gamecocks were able to score in the second half, securing their 1-0 win against the Bears.
Hungry for a win, the Bears traveled to Clemson on Aug. 30 for what would be Clemson’s Season Opener as well.
The Bears played defense well the first half, however, a Clemson senior managed to score seconds before the first half was over.
Trailing Clemson 0-1, the Bears made a valiant effort to score. Senior Ryan King led the team with three shots, one of which was on goal.
Ranjitsingh contributed two saves to the Bears defensive efforts. However, the Tigers’ 11-6 advantage in shots was enough for them to add a second goal, eventually defeating the Bears 2-0.
Mercer’s weeklong break prepared them for action as they took on Elon in the UNC Wilmington Hilton Garden Inn Classic.
Senior Ehjayson Henry scored the first goal of the game in the second half. Giving the Bears an edge with 1-0 lead. However, Elon was quick to answer and scored two goals, giving them a 2-1 advantage over the Bears.
With only five minutes left to play, Henry scored his second goal of the game, tying the score at 2-2.
The score remained the same through the first overtime. Elon eventually broke the tie in double overtime bringing the score to 3-2 and giving them the win over the Bears. Henry commented on the loss.
“We were able to come back from being down a goal versus Elon, a very good team, and we were able to force overtime. We played really well.”
Henry earned the second multi-goal performance of his career at Mercer, and Ranjitsingh made a season high of nine saves.
In the last game of the Hilton Garden Inn Classic, the Bears fell to UNC Wilmington 3-1.
The Black and Orange started off rocky as UNC Wilmington scored two first half goals.
In the 71st minute of play, sophomore David Murtaugh bent in a corner kick service that classmate James Walters was able to head into the back of the goal to cut the Seahawks’ lead to 2-1.
In the final minutes of play, UNC Wilmington scored on a breakaway opportunity to put the game out of reach for the Bears, making the final score 3-1.
“Going into conference, the team is looking good as we have been playing quality teams that have been helping us better prepare for conference teams,” said Henry.
Ranjitsingh made three saves in the losing effort.
The Bears return to play on Friday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. when they take on Winthrop at Bear Field.
(08/28/13 9:00pm)
Mercer University is gearing up for its first football game in 72 years. Building a football program has been a main priority for the athletic department the last few years. The excitement started when Bobby Lamb was named head coach last year. After the 2012-2013 practice season, players, fans, and the administration are hungry for competition.
Season tickets sold out in 27 minutes according to the Mercer box office. On Monday morning, they sold an additional 1,000 berm seats near the end zone in 37 minutes. Fans in the community couldn’t be more excited for Mercer Football to return.
Mercer students are ecstatic for the opening game as well. Sophomore, Jamie Coates confesses, “Even though my freshmen year here at Mercer was amazing, there was definitely something missing--in my opinion, every college should have a football team.” As a previous cheerleader in high school, Coates always loved the Friday night games. Now, she says that she is “excited to see what the boys can do” and “will definitely be in the stands cheering for them.”
While Mercer has been gearing up for the game through banners, ticket sales, and fancy new T-shirts, the football team has been buckling down to prepare for opening season. Sophomore Eli Grambling comments on the positive effect of the football hype around campus.
“When other people inform us of their excitement, it makes us even more excited. Also, when we found out how quickly the tickets sold, that boosted our enthusiasm even more.”
The team has been channeling this excitement into hard work during their 16-day preseason. They arrived on campus July 31and hit the field and the weight room hard. “We’ve been lifting, conditioning, and practicing hard for this upcoming year,” says Grambling. “I feel like we’re ready, we’ve been waiting for this moment for a year now, and we’re more than excited to take the field.”
The Bears ended their intense week of camp with a preseason Black and White scrimmage. Both coaches and players were thrilled with the results of the scrimmage. Caleb Brown set the tone for the offense with a score in the first quarter. Quarterbacks John Russ and Josh Moore made a few rushing scores of their own. On the defensive side, Lendell Arnold had a clutch interception on fourth down in the second half.
With the scrimmage and fall camp over, the Bears are ready to take on Reinhardt University in the first competitive game.
Despite their youth and lack of experience, the team has meshed exceptionally fast. “You don’t see that happen as quick as we did often,” says Grambling, “We’re brothers. We’ve grinded with each other for a while now, so we’re ready to go to battle now.”
The 2013-2014 football season will kick off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31. The dedication and work ethic of the players and the support from the fans provides a recipe for success as the Bears return to the gridiron for the first time in 72 years.
(08/28/13 9:00pm)
The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams are eager to hit the ground running as they look forward to an exciting 2013 season.
Last season, the men’s team finished 12th place out of 26 teams in the NCAA South Regional Championships. This is the highest place finish in Mercer Bear history.
Sophomore Lucas Steinheber led the team with a 36th place over all finish. Senior Jacob Law was close behind with a 39th place finish. Both runners set personal bests for the season with times of 31:48.3 and 31:54.1 respectively.
The women’s team placed 24th in the region with seniors Kacie Neimann and Katlyn Will leading the way. Neimann ran a personal best as well to secure her eighth place overall finish with a time of 17:47.3. Neimann solidified her reputation as one of the best runners in Mercer history with three top 14 finish in the Regional Championships. In addition, she was recognized as an Atlantic Sun Post Graduate Scholar and Mercer Female Student Athlete of the Year.
The Bears are taking a hit with the loss of seniors Will, Neimann, and Law, however, the team is nothing but excited for the new recruits. This year’s captain, Caley Cranford, commented on the upcoming season.
“I am most excited about the increase in numbers on our team and the increase in ability that will bring with it. Our team has doubled in size from last year, with the nine incoming freshmen and two current Mercer students who will also be joining us.”
Although Will will not be participating in competition, she is returning to Mercer to help coach the women’s team.
Cranford also expressed her excitement for many returning runners.
“Linda Wrede from Germany is going to be a great addition to our team,” stated Cranford. “We are looking for great success out of her this season. Also, returners Lena Hamvas and Kami Orrender are also expected to improve greatly on their best times from last season to lead us to many victories during our fall season.”
Cranford also mentioned Jenna Gipperich as a strong component to the team after her outstanding performance during the track season.
After a strong finish in the Regional Championship, the men’s team is only setting their sights higher.
“On the men’s side, I hope to welcome three new runners,” says Coach Ryan Bailey. “Hank Campbell is a rising junior, joining us from Darton College. Hank finished 95th in the NJCAA National Championships in 2012 and will be a welcome addition to the team.”
The Bears kicked off their preseason on Monday. This preseason will be a crucial one since the expectations are set for both teams to have a fifth place finish at conference.
“We are familiar with the course already and that will work towards our advantage,” says Cranford. “The road to conference is a long one but the new additions to both men and women’s teams, plus a strong core of returners gives a bright future for Mercer Cross Country.”
Both men and women begin competition in on Saturday, Aug. 31, in at the UGA Stampede in Bishop, Ga.