LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine Knights closed out the 2021 season with an 11-8 victory over the Mercer Bears on Saturday at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium. The win marks the second victory for Bellarmine over Mercer this season, as the Knights also beat the Bears 9-7 in their season-opener on the road.
"I am as proud of a team as I have ever been," Bellarmine coach Andy Whitley said. "We overcame a great deal of adversity. We are learning how to win as a program…the effort and focus and commitment that this locker room gave, I can't be anything but proud."
A career-first goal for Tayo Oladunmoye with 5:20 left in regulation provided the spark the Knights needed to close out the contest on a 4-1 run. Landon Trout followed with two of his own and James Whiteford put in the final goal of the contest with just one second left on the clock.
Bellarmine took an early 2-0 lead before a three-goal Mercer run from late in the first through early in the second tied things up at 3. Two straight from James Whiteford and Benny O'Rourk put the Knights back in front 4-3 at the half. Whiteford put in another one early in the third on a man-up situation to push Bellarmine head even more, 5-3.
Mercer, who dominated the faceoff dot with Ashton Wood going 20-for-22 on the day, found a spark midway through the third quarter as they outscored Bellarmine 4-2 from the 8:30 mark in the third through the 10:24 mark in the fourth to tie things up at 7 before the Knights' game-winning run.
Landon Trout (2G/2A) and Luke Legnard (1G/3A) led the Knights with four points on the day. James Whiteford also had a hat trick while O'Rourk had two goals and an assist.
JC Higginbotham made 13 saves in cage to anchor Bellarmine's defense, which caused seven of seven of Mercer's 24 turnovers.
Taylor Dooley (3G/1A) and Nick Rockefeller (3G) led the Mercer offense. Daniel Shumake dished out three assists.
Collin Kelley made 10 saves in cage for the Bears.
While Bellarmine did what it needed to make the SoCon postseason tourney (win by three), unfortunately for Bellarmine, they didn't get the help it needed as Air Force upset No. 15 Richmond to earn the No. 4 seed in the tourney.
Bellarmine ends the 2021 season with a 5-10 overall record and a 2-4 Southern Conference record.
