Mercer University
Jacksonville
Mercer Falls in Double Overtime at Jacksonville
10/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the second time in a week the Mercer women's soccer team came up empty in a pivotal overtime Atlantic Sun conference game, this time falling to Jacksonville 1-0 in two overtimes on Sunday afternoon.
The loss is the third straight for a Bears (7-5-0, 1-3-0 A-Sun) team that up until the start of this three-game skid had shutout each of its opponents in seven wins. Mercer has now been held scoreless in each of its last three games and must rebound quickly as Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson make their way to Bear Field next weekend.
In what was a rematch of last season's A-Sun Tournament Championship game, the Bears and Dolphins (7-4-2, 3-0-1 A-Sun) played through a tough-fought 90 minutes of regulation. In Mercer's third overtime game of the season, the Bears were able to uncork five shots in the first ten minute period including three on frame, but JU goalkeeper Sarah Sierra was able stop all three to keep the Dolphins hopes alive.
Then in the second overtime with just over a minute to play, JU's Raquel Weckhurst scored the game-winner, as she chipped a shot over the head of Mercer's Cagney Valloch in the 109th minute. Valloch started and played all 110 minutes on Sunday, making three saves and is now 3-4 on the year.
The Bears are now 0-3 this season when games have gone into extra minutes, but overall Sunday's game was evenly fought. Jacksonville ended with a slight 16-15 advantage in total shots and each team put just four shots on goal. Junior P.A. Upson led the Bears with three shots on the day as seniors Ali Meek, Olivia Tucker and sophomore Casey Barrett each had multiple shots in the game.
The Bears return home next Friday night as FGCU makes its way to Bear Field for a 7 p.m. kick-off. Stetson plays first at Kennesaw St. before heading to Macon for Sunday's match against MU at 2 p.m. Next Sunday's game is Mercer's annual Parent Appreciation night.
nt Appreciation night.
