Mercer University
Ga. Southern
Bears Shutout Eagles for Opening Day Win
8/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
MACON, Ga. – Mercer junior midfielder Emily Milone scored her first two career goals in the Bears 2010 regular season opener on Sunday afternoon at Bear Field. The Bears took the shutout, 4-0, against Georgia Southern to open the season 1-0 for a second consecutive year.
From the beginning, the Bears looked sharp scoring in just the 10th minute on a quick one-time punch from senior forward Sara Elliot. Freshman Casey Barrett recorded her first collegiate start and point with the assist on Elliot's goal. Fellow Ohio Club teammate freshman Nadja Kolliesuah also received her first career start on Sunday as the Bears have looked to their youth early on to create opportunities on net.
Milone has had a solid fall camp, according to head coach Grant Serafy, and twice looked calm and collected scoring her two goals. The first came in the 16th minute on a one-timer off a rebound on a corner kick from just outside the box. The shot sailed high into the top corner and put the Bears up 2-0.
After beating the Eagles last season in Statesboro, 2-0, the Bears have yet to allow a goal against Georgia Southern in the last 180 minutes. On Sunday, the Bears outshot Georgia Southern, 9-3, seven of which were on goal.
"We will take that as a positive step," Serafy said. "It was a good opening day win. I thought we played well and to not give up a shot on goal was good for us."
The second half began a little slow for the Bears, but found relief when Milone added goal number two in the 64th minute. She able to make a break on a through ball delivered by Elliot and walked in, carefully putting it past Georgia Southern's Katie Merson to make the score 3-0.
"Emily had a very nice game," Serafy said. "She has very good technique and is a great hustler and did a good job of making some plays today."
Much like Milone's first goal, senior forward Lauren Johnson got on the board in 2010 off a rebound on a corner try. Johnson found herself atop the box as the ball squirted out off the corner and she took a calculated shot to the top right corner and gave the Bears their fourth and final score of the game.
Junior Cristina Guilarte received the start in net for the Bears and played the entire first half. Freshman Nikki Atkinson came in to start the second and had over 30 minutes to her credit before junior Cagney Valloch relieved her for the final 13 minutes. The three goalies were never challenged in the game as that position is playing by committee thus far.
The Bears will have a five-day break before heading to Birmingham, Ala. for their next non-conference tilt against Samford. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. on August 27.
