Mercer University
South Carolina
Bears Drop 2-0 Decision to Gamecocks
8/23/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The Mercer women's soccer team evened up its overall record on the year, dropping its first game of the season – a 2-0 defeat at Southeastern Conference foe South Carolina in Columbia on Thursday night.
The Bears (1-1-1) were the first team to visit Stone Stadium this year and South Carolina made good of the home field advantage in its first win of the season. The Gamecocks (1-1-1) had opened the season as the No. 24 team in the country and after a disappointing 0-1-1 opening weekend dropped them from the national polls, the team looked to respond on Thursday night.
Mercer head coach Tony Economopoulos was pleased with the Bears overall effort, citing the Gamecocks ability to finish on chances that made the difference.
"I thought we played a very solid game tonight against a very high caliber program," head coach Tony Economopoulos said. "It was a back-and-forth game and we had a very good chance in the last ten minutes with a shot off the post that could have got us right back in the game. Overall I am pleased with how we played."
The Bears kept right with the Gamecocks throughout trailing just 9-7 in shots while maintaining a 5-1 advantage in corners. Mercer was assertive with the ball and maintained possession well in the first half.
Through the first 35 minutes, each team had recorded three shots yet it was Mercer that looked to grab the momentum. That was until a Mercer turnover at midfield created a scoring chance for South Carolina.
The Gamecocks countered off an errant MU pass at the midline and a subsequent service inside the MU box was headed on by Courtney Angotti-Smith that forced Mercer's Nikki Atkinson to push the try over the cross bar.
On the ensuing corner, South Carolina's Andie Romness struck a well-placed ball that was headed in by Rea Wilson giving USC the early 1-0 lead.
The goal caught a Mercer team off guard, but did not reflect how well the Orange and Black played in the first half. Sophomore Nadja Kolliesuah got off perhaps the Bears' best chance with a shot in the 31st minute that was directed wide by USC's keeper, Darien Vercillo.
Down 1-0 heading into the second half, Mercer again played to the Gamecocks pace as each team exchanged possession. Seventeen minutes into the second half, however South Carolina added an insurance goal off another well-played header.
Coryn Bajema flicked on a cross from Angotti-Smith to give the Gamecocks a 2-0 advantage in the 62nd minute.
Mercer's best chance of the night came off a breakaway in the 82nd minute when senior P.A. Upson beat a defender and guided a shot off the South Carolina post.
The Bears continue their tour of South Carolina on Saturday when the team returns to action at Charleston Southern. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
