Eagles Score First, but Mercer Takes Game in 2OT
9/14/2007 4:11:00 AM | Women's Soccer
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Georgia Southern's Ashley Toussaint scored the first goal of the match in the 18th minute, but after the Bears tied it up, Mercer's Kacie Hudson scored the go-ahead goal in the second overtime to take the 2-1 win, Friday night, at Eagle Field.
Hudson's game-winner, her first goal on the season, came after knocking in a loose ball six yards out in the 107th minute.
The win improves Mercer's record to 2-2-1 overall, snapping a two-game skid. The Eagles fall to 0-4-0.
The Eagles came out focused in the first half attacking strong on offense. After a pair of shots early on, the Eagles took advantage of a loose ball, an intended pass to the Mercer goalkeeper. Ashley Toussaint (Warner Robins, Ga.) was quick to the ball and tapped it in at the 17:06 mark for the first goal of the game, and her first of the season.
Mercer came back 10 minutes later to tie up the game at 1-1. Mercer's Kaytie Vander Vos broke away from the defense on the right side and fired a shot from 18 yards out, connecting in the left corner of the goal. It was Vander Vos' first goal of the season.
Both teams continued to apply pressure up front, which yielded a total 13 first-half shots. Mercer led the shots tally by a 7-6 margin and both teams went into the break with a 1-1 stalemate.
Mercer came out strong in the second half and made three more shots. Senior goalkeeper Laura-Ashley Harris (Jonesboro, Ga.) stopped a pair of shots in the second stanza, which ushered in the end of regulation.
Mercer added another trio of shots in the first overtime, but the two teams remained at a deadlock until the second overtime when the Bears broke the scoring drought and garnered the win.
“I think we definitely fought hard and our defenders did a great job,” said head coach Ashley Hart. “We're just not consistent yet for a full game. It's a tough loss. Mercer's definitely organized.”
Mercer's Jean Worts, who pulled in three saves, earned the win, while Harris, playing a full 106:01 minutes for the Eagles, tallied a total seven saves on the day.
“I think she (Harris) has done a good job,” said Hart. “She's really stepped up for us and she's doing a good job organizing things in the back.”
The Bears led the Eagles in total shots (15-6) and corner kicks (9-5).
The Eagles will look to break the four-game skid as they open up Southern Conference play against The Citadel, Wednesday, Sep. 19. The match, which is the second of a three-game homestand, is slated for 2 p.m. at Eagle Field.
Mercer will travel to Davidson, N.C. to play the Wildcats, Sep. 16 at 2 p.m.
