MACON, Ga. -- Mercer's Jackson Kleintz scored a goal with 2:42 to play in the second overtime as the Bears overcame a huge second half and overtime effort by Jacksonville University to nip the Dolphins, 9-8, in a Southern Conference game here Saturday.

The loss was the fifth consecutive for JU (4-7, 1-4), ended the Dolphins' hopes of advancing to the post season and negated the second half and overtime charge in which JU held Mercer (5-6, 5-0) to the single goal.

"Our guys showed incredible grit and character fighting back today,'' JU coach Guy Van Arsdale said. "IT would have been easy for them to roll over, but they refused. Our seniors were warriors all over the field; we just couldn't get that last chip to fall.''

JU got a pair of first half goals from junior midfielder Dakota Rohlin and one from senior attacker Quint Miller, and a pair of assists from Zac Buller, the Dolphins had fallen behind at the break, 8-3, and after that JU charged back.

To start the half, Van Arsdale made a goalie switch to Ben Gleichenhaus and with 7:09 to play in the third Miller scored his second goal of the day on an assist from his brother, Chase. Freshman Max Hartong (Canton, Oh.) followed with 3:51 to go on a pass from attacker Chase McIntyre (Vancouver, British Columbia) and the Dolphins had pulled within three, 8-5, at the end of three.

JU got within a pair early in the fourth as Quint Miller, from Lancaster, Pa., scored his third of the day taking a feed from fellow senior Conor Igoe (Columbus, Oh.) with 14:33 to play. Three minutes later, the Dolphins took advantage of a man up situation and Chase Miller scored on an assist from Buller, a freshman attack from Herndon, Va., to make it 8-7.

The Dolphins tied it at 8 with 8:11 to play when defenseman Austin Curtis (Marcy, N.Y.) scored which is how regulation ended.

Neither team scored in the first overtime before Kleintz hit the game winner on an assist from Scott Baird.

While the JU offense sparked on its end from the second half on, Gleichenhaus, a freshman from Cherry Hills Village, Colo., and Curtis led an air tight defensive effort. Curtis ended with three ground balls and three caused turnovers and Gleichenhaus recorded 11 saves.

"Ben Gleichenhaus came in and really helped turn the momentum in our favor,'' Van Arsdale said.

The JU faceoff team contributed with a big day as sophomore Sam Rosengarden (Dallas, Tex.) controlled six of 12, freshman Hunter Forbes (Woodstock, Ga.) five for five and junior Pat Ryan (West Islip, N.Y.) one for two.

The Dolphins play host to Furman Saturday at 3 p.m. at D. B. Milne Field on the team's Senior Day.