Mercer University
Northern Ky.
Bears Take 1-0 Shutout at Northern Kentucky on Sunday
10/7/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ken. – The Mercer women's soccer team extended its Atlantic Sun leading unbeaten streak to eight games, taking a 1-0 shutout over Northern Kentucky on Sunday afternoon.
The Bears (9-3-3, 3-0-2 A-Sun) and Norse (4-10, 1-5 A-Sun) met for the first time as conference opponents on Sunday and the Bears were able to walk away with the win to move into two-way tie for second place in the league standings. The Orange and Black also carry the league's top overall record alongside defending A-Sun champs, Florida Gulf Coast.
"Today we played a great game," head coach Tony Economopoulos said. "We had a tough time putting one away against Lipscomb, but I thought the team responded well today on cold day and on a different surface. Most importantly, with the win we control our own destiny now in terms of making the tournament."
Mercer is 6-0-2 in its last eight contests and is amidst its longest unbeaten streak since 2010, when the team posted six-straight wins.
Mercer continued a recent trend of scoring early as senior midfielder Danielle Hesse provided the game-winning goal in the fourth minute on Sunday. The goal was Hesse's fourth of the season and eclipsed her career season high in the process.
"I'm happy with the way we are playing, but we should have finished a couple more chances this weekend," Economopoulos said. "We hit the post and missed a couple of runs but I thought we have come out with great energy lately. I hope this gets us back on track and I am sure we will compete in each of our remaining games."
Northern Kentucky outshot Mercer 15-14 in the game, which marked the first time in the last ten games that the Bears did not outshoot their opponent. The Bears potent offense provided the necessary goal and then defense stepped up to secure the clean sheet.
With the win, Mercer has also now shutout seven opponents this season, which is three shy of what the Bears were able to accomplish last season.
Freshman goalkeeper Maggie Cropp started and finished her second-straight game and made six key saves in her fifth win of the season. Cropp finished one save shy of her career high on Sunday.
Mercer has four games remaining with the final two home games scheduled for next weekend as Jacksonville and North Florida come to town. Both of the River City teams remain unbeaten in conference play with Jacksonville coming to Macon on Friday evening (7 p.m.) and North Florida set to kickoff on Sunday at 1 p.m.
