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Southwest Mississippi Community College

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Bears come from behind to win 3-2 at Jones County

By: Michael D. Gunnell, Southwest Sports Information
PJ Irwin

Men's Soccer | 10/7/2017 6:56:00 AM

The Bears' run to the MACJC playoffs received a major boost Friday night in Ellisville as they overcame an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the host Jones County Bobcats 3-2 and sweep the season series.
 
The win moved the Bears to 8-2-2 overall and 2-2-1 in the South Division. Jones County dropped to 4-7-1, 1-5.
 
Goals by the Bobcats' Callum Dougan and Thomas Carlile left the Bears on the downside of a 2-0 score just 4:55 into the game. But, the Bears proved there was no quit in them this night.
 
With 13:27 left in the first half, Vicente Tellols played the ball over the top to Michael Escobar. Escobar then beat a defender down the line, cut in and buried the ball back post to cut the Bobcats' lead to 2-1.
 
The Bears knotted the game at 2-2, with 16:17 when Nate Bond served in a free kick to the head of Santiago Martinez who then beat the keeper and scored on a header.
 
With 44:59 on the clock, PJ Irwin served the corner back post. Ty Ware then served it across to find Martinez who then scored, what proved to be the game-winner, on another header.
 
Neither team was able to find the net in the second half and the Bears left town with the narrow win.
 
Bears' keeper Conner Smothers had six saves in goal.
 
"It was fantastic," Bears' head coach Zach Mills said of his team's comeback victory. "Going down early two goals is always super tough (to overcome), but they (the Bears) didn't put their heads down. They got back up and came back with fire."
 
Continuing his comments, Mills said "Michael came up strong with that first goal and then Santi (Martinez) had two huge goals."
 
Mills said the play of Irwin, Ware and Martinez on the final goal "just means so much because all that hard work and resilience paid off. And, of course, I've got to say it's a good thing that my back line stepped up and Conner Smothers came up big a few times. I'm very, very proud of all the guys tonight. I'm very excited about the big Division win."
 
The Bears try for their third straight win on October 10 when they pay a visit to South Division foe Mississippi Gulf Coast in Perkinston. The contest is scheduled to get underway at 7:00.
 
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

PJ Irwin

#3 PJ Irwin

MF
6' 3"
Freshman
Ty Ware

#7 Ty Ware

F
5' 8"
Freshman
Vicente Tellols

#8 Vicente Tellols

MF
5' 8"
Freshman
Michael Escobar

#11 Michael Escobar

MF
5' 10"
Sophomore
Santiago Martinez

#13 Santiago Martinez

F
5' 7"
Freshman
Nate Bond

#18 Nate Bond

D
5' 11"
Freshman
Conner Smothers

#54 Conner Smothers

GK
5' 8"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

PJ Irwin

#3 PJ Irwin

6' 3"
Freshman
MF
Ty Ware

#7 Ty Ware

5' 8"
Freshman
F
Vicente Tellols

#8 Vicente Tellols

5' 8"
Freshman
MF
Michael Escobar

#11 Michael Escobar

5' 10"
Sophomore
MF
Santiago Martinez

#13 Santiago Martinez

5' 7"
Freshman
F
Nate Bond

#18 Nate Bond

5' 11"
Freshman
D
Conner Smothers

#54 Conner Smothers

5' 8"
Freshman
GK