Mercer University
Col. of Charleston
Mercer Plays to a 2-2 Tie In Shortened Exhibition
8/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer women's soccer exhibition match against the College of Charleston was cut short on Saturday by nearly seven minutes, but the Bears did receive plenty of work and experience playing to a 2-2 tie.
The game was cut short because of a small thunderstorm that positioned itself over Bear Field; coming in the 84th minute of the match. Both coaches agreed to call the game instead of waiting out the bad weather.
The Bears however, made good use of their time and showed some early determination by twice coming back to end the match in a tie.
"I thought it was a good opening game for us," head coach Grant Serafy said. "We got to play everybody and see a couple players in different positions."
The Bears are having to replace nearly their entire defense backline, as Serafy lost three seniors to graduation. Stepping up for Mercer this season is junior P.A. Upson. Upson did a good job diffusing several scoring chances on Saturday and is still waiting to see what newcomers may fill in around her.
"I thought P.A. did a good job in the back," Serafy said. "We were able to learn out a lot about players and where they can play and how they are going to respond to competition."
Mercer first fell behind in the 30th minute after Charleston's Hannah Gmerek slipped a shot past Mercer senior goalkeeper Cristina Guilarte on a breakaway one-on-one situation. A physical first half ended with the Cougars maintaining the offensive pressure; keeping the 1-0 lead and an 8-7 advantage in shots.
The Bears would respond and tie the game just over three minutes into the second half, when sophomore Casey Barrett laced a high arching ball into the back of the net from just inside the box. Freshman Washida Blackman, who received the start in the game, assisted Barrett on the goal.
Almost two minutes later, the Cougars regained the lead when Sarah Cardamone made an acrobatic play on a cross by Hope Atkinson. After the second Charleston goal, MU began to settle in and generated several more scoring chances.
Mercer picked up the offensive pressure was able to generate a free kick deep in the Cougars end in the 77th minute. Senior forward Emerald Phillips took an impressive try from 25 yards that sailed over the top of the wall and the outstretched arms of the Cougars keeper to tie the game at two.
"Emerald Phillips did a good job up top coming off the bench," Serafy said.
Phillips is one of nine seniors on this year's roster, but it was the freshmen that Serafy was experimenting with on Saturday. All seven freshmen saw action in the game with several trying their hands at different positions. Overall, Serafy was pleased with the first-year players effort, giving the eight-year head coach something to think about with just one week before the start of the regular season.
"In general the freshman responded very well in the first game," Serafy said. "We now need to settle in on our defenders and our shape in the back to try and to limit goals."
The Bears now have less than a week to prepare for Jacksonville St. for their 2011 regular season opener at home next Friday at 5 p.m.
