BEL AIR, Md. – The Harford Men's Soccer team collapsed late and fell, 4-1, to Mercer County Saturday afternoon.
 
Harford (4-5-1) hung with undefeated Mercer County (12-0-1) for 80 minutes but were unable to hold on as the visiting Vikings poured in 3 goals in the closing 10 minutes of the match. Playing their second game in less than 24 hours, the Fighting Owls seemingly ran out of gas towards the end of the match.
 
In the midst of multiple chances created by the Vikings, Guillerme Franca broke through in the 83^rd minute to break a 1-1 tie and hit the back of the net again in the 88^th minute to all but seal the result. Both goals were assisted by Obinna Iloka. Marco Rossi scored an empty netter in the 89^th minute for good measure, countering off of a Harford corner kick in which Fighting Owl keeper Justin Almquist was up in the offensive end of the field.
 
The first half was a struggle offensively, as both teams defended tightly. The second half saw both teams break through within minutes of each other. Mercer County got on the scoresheet first as Iloka found the back of the net in the 54^th minute, getting on the end of a goal kick and shooting past Almquist to put the Vikings on top. Mercer County keeper Kellen Grover was credited with an assist on the goal.
 
The Fighting Owls equalized almost immediately. It was Will Pappas putting Harford on the scoreboard in the 56^th minute as he slotted away his second of the season to level the score at 1-1.
 
Alquist weathered a barrage of chances created by the Vikings in the second half, particularly in the final 15 minutes of the game. He finished the game with nine saves on 13 shots on goal.
 
Harford is on the road Tuesday as they travel to Baltimore to face CCBC Catonsville at 6 p.m.