UDC Men’s Soccer Succumbs to No. 12 Mercyhurst, 2-0

WASHINGTON, DC – The University of the District of Columbia men's soccer team was defeated by the No. 12 ranked team in the nation, Mercyhurst University, by a score of 2-0 on Monday afternoon in non-league play at UDC Athletic Field.

The Firebirds (4-3) have now dropped three straight games after starting the season 4-0 and were held scoreless for the second time in three games. The Lakers, who avenged last year's 1-0 upset loss to the Firebirds, improved to 5-2 with the win.

Mercyhurst's Danny Deakin received a pass from Fernando Martinez and raced down the left sideline, beating a Firebird defender and then firing a shot from about 18 yards out for the game's first goal just over four minutes into the action. Martinez was at it again about 20 minutes later when he fed Matt Campana for a Lakers insurance goal just before the 24-minute mark.

UDC was out-shot 20-12 for the day and the Lakers also held a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks. Sophomore Elio Hernandez (Health Education – Germantown, MD/Northwest HS) led the team with three shots, putting two of them on net.

Sophomore Louis Connor faced eight shots on goal and stopped six while allowing two goals in a losing effort. Mercyhurst's Mikko Sarkkinen made three saves in a complete game shutout victory.

The Firebirds will host Lock Haven on Friday, September 27^th at 2 p.m. This is the final game of an eight-game homestand to start the 2013 season.