BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Alemu Mercer-Miko scored the game's only goal in the 103rd minute to lift Campbell to a 1-0 double overtime victory over USC Upstate Saturday night at the Eakes Athletic Complex.
 
Mercer-Miko side-volleyed home a serve from Aigbekan Nosegbe for his first strike of the year and Campbell (8-2-1, 2-0 Big South) extended its win streak to five matches.
 
In a match where the Camels hit the woodwork twice, had a penalty kick saved, and outshot the visitors 18-6 through regulation, Mercer-Miko's heroics and CU seventh clean sheet of the year produced enough to generate a win against the Spartans (2-7, 0-2).
 
Upstate played the final 8:22 of regulation and both overtime periods a man down after Aidan Hill was issued his second yellow card of the match.  Campbell out-shot the Spartans 5-0 in the first OT period before Mercer-Miko's winner came just 2:53 into the second extra session.
 
"We were pressing both overtimes to make sure we got the full three points," said Campbell head coach Dustin Fonder.  "As a collective group, we stayed positive.  If we take one of those chances early, the score line could have been more favorable to us, but we were patient.  We knew our end result was three points, and that's what we left with."
 
The Camels won for the eighth time in nine matches and claimed a second-straight extra time victory against a Big South Conference rival.  CU improved to 6-0 at home and has outscored its opposition 14-1 this season at the Eakes Complex.
 
Samuel Lechuga only had to make one save all night to earn his Big South-leading seventh shutout, but the junior keeper came out of his box to make a pair of clearances and thwart Upstate second-half chances.
 
"Our defense is the backbone of our team," said Fonder.  "Tonight showed again that we are capable of keeping a clean sheet night-in and night-out."
 
The Camels have allowed only two goals over the last 925 minutes – and just 23 shots on target over the last 10 contests.
 
Matt Lock nearly put the Camels in front in the seventh minute when his right-footed shot inside the box banged off the right post.  Nosegbe appeared to give Campbell a 38th-minute lead after his shot through traffic found the net. However, Ian Rees was judged to be in an offside position and the goal was disallowed.
 
Upstate's only shot on target of the evening came in the 53rd minute when Pol Monells struck a heavy effort from outside the box, but right at Lechuga.
 
After 54 minutes, Thibaut Jacquel – the Big South's leading scorer with nine goals – beat the keeper, but not the left post.
 
Jacquel was again denied in the 60th minute when Luca Bulfon dove to save his penalty kick after Alex Egeonu was hauled down in the box.
 
Upstate was coming off a 1-0 victory Tuesday at Coastal Carolina, but managed just two shots in the first 45 minutes. 
 
The Camels face a pair of Big South road contests next week - Wednesday at Winthrop and Saturday (Oct. 12) at Presbyterian.