LEXINGTON, Va. - Playing in wet conditions in a game that was forced to be played at Drill Field 2, the VMI men's soccer team fell by a 2-0 score Saturday afternoon to visiting Mercer in Southern Conference action.

The Bears (8-4, 3-1) utilized a heavy attack early in the game to draw a 2-0 lead in the first 15 minutes. Mercer's Jordan Duru took a rebound off a deflected shot and put it into the net at the 11:03 mark a few minutes before teammate Emmet Johnson added another goal in the 14th minute by flicking the ball over VMI goalie Robert Allen.

The remaining 75 minutes of regulation went back and forth as the teams exchanged shot attempts and possession time. The Bears finished the match with 18 shots while the Keydets logged two.

Keydets Sam Moffatt and Chris Spates earned the shot attempts for VMI, while Jordan Duru (4 shots) and Will Bagrou (3) paced the Mercer attack. Bear goalie Jeremy Booth earned the win with one save while VMI keeper Robert Allen finished with six saves.

VMI returns to action Tuesday on the road as they travel to Johnson City, Tennessee, to face ETSU in SoCon play. The first kick is slated for a 7 p.m. start.