Mercer University
Kennesaw St.
Women's Soccer Downs Kennesaw State, 1-0
10/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
MACON, Ga. – Mercer freshman Washida Blackman headed home a first-half corner kick and the Mercer women's soccer team employed a smothering defense to come away with a 1-0 victory over Kennesaw State Friday night at Bear Field.
Mercer improved to 8-6-1 (2-4-1 A-Sun) with the victory while Kennesaw State dropped to 6-8-1 (2-5-0). Friday night's match marked senior night and also was the first time Mercer has defeated Kennesaw State at Bear Field.
Blackman's third goal of the season came when her classmate, Lauren Gassie fed a corner kick to the near post in the 30th minute of play. Blackman beat her defender to the ball, elevated and directed a header past the visiting goal keeper.
"[Washida] is very good in the air," Mercer head coach Grant Serafy said. "She's a relentless player."
Gassie's second assist of the season couldn't have come at a better time as the score would later prove to be the deciding factor in a crucial A-Sun victory.
"I thought it was a pretty complete game," Serafy said. "Our intensity was good all the way through and I thought we had a good defensive effort."
After assuming the advantage, the Orange and Black defense clamped down on the visitors, limiting the Owls to just five shots for the remainder of the contest.
The second half was a dominant performance for the Mercer defense as it stifled Kennesaw State on every attacking attempt and helped the team hold an 11-3 shot advantage in the period.
All told, Mercer held a 16-6 advantage in shots when the final buzzer sounded.
Mercer had numerous scoring opportunities in the second half and kept KSU goalkeeper Mel Hutto scrambling to keep the contest tight.
Junior P.A. Upson got Mercer's first solid look of the second stanza when she collected a ball in the offensive half of the field and boomed a shot that Hutto bobbled and had to fall on. Upson finished the match with three shots on goal.
Another Mercer scoring opportunity came three minutes later when seniors Olivia Tucker and Ali Meek ran a give-and-go, resulting in an open shot for Tucker. Tucker fired the ball on-net but Hutto sprawled and absorbed the blow, keeping Kennesaw State in the match.
"It's an in-state rival so you always want to beat the teams in your home state," Serafy said. "Now we've just got to focus on winning our next two games."
Mercer returns to action in a road match at USC Upstate on October 21. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
