 Hatters Earn A-Sun Championship
Box Score
 Buies Creek, N.C. -
Senior Griffin Gilstrap was named the tournament MVP after scoring both
goals in Stetson's 2-1 win over Mercer University in Sunday's Atlantic Sun
Conference Championship game. It is the second time ever the Hatters have
earned the title and a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Stetson struck first
with an early goal in the third minute by Griffin Gilstrap (Safety Harbor,
Fla.). Kevin Munz (Jupiter, Fla.) made a run down the left side and set up
Gilstrap in front. It was the 10th goal of the season for the
A-Sun's top scorer.
In the 28th
minute Gilstrap and Munz once again combined for a goal and put the Hatters
up by a pair. At 27:11 Ryan Corning (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) found Munz who set
then up Gilstrap for a right footed blast from just inside the box.
"It feels great", said
Gilstrap after the game. "I have to give the credit to my teammates, Munzy
set me up for two goals today."
After controlling the
play in the first half and holding a 10-5 advantage in shots, Stetson had to
hold on in the second. Mercer scored in the 70th minute and
continued to apply pressure right to the end, yet could not get an equalizer
past the stingy Hatters defense anchored by A-Sun Defensive Player of the
Year Robert Hodge (Devon, England).
"This is what we have
been working for all season", said Hodge, a team captain for the Hatters.
"We have to give credit to Mercer for pressuring us late. They wanted to win
but we held strong. We rode our luck at times but over a course of a season
you earn that. Every team has their luck, today it was our turn."
Mercer out shot Stetson
9-3 in the second half, and finished with a 14-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Stetson's was playing in
its third final in the past five years. The last time Stetson faced Mercer
in an A-Sun tournament game was the 2005 semifinal. Stetson won 3-1, and
went on to capture its lone A-Sun Championship with a 2-1 win over Campbell.
Head Coach T. Logan
Fleck was doused with powerade during the post-game celebration. "I will
take that any day", said Fleck. "The kids played very hard today, I couldn't
be more proud of them. I am very lucky to be coaching at Stetson, I just
love it."
The Hatters will enjoy
the long bus ride home to DeLand and then get ready for the NCAA
announcement of tournament pairings that will come tomorrow.
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Click on link for
additional coverage from A-Sun, including post-game video:
http://www.atlanticsun.org
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