Mercer Drops 2-0 Match to No. 3 Florida State

Thursday, September 15

Tallahassee, Fla.

7:00 PM

Mercer University

2-5-1

Florida State

6-1-0

Mercer

Florida State

Mercer Drops 2-0 Match to No. 3 Florida State

9/15/2016 10:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Cristina Mursuli anchored a Mercer defense that was highlighted all match as the women's soccer team fell to No. 3 Florida State, 2-0 on Thursday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Florida State started the match with the ball, but struggled to find an opening early as the Mercer defense closed ranks and refused to allow many good looks at goal. Of the Seminole's 12 shots in the first half, just four were on target. FSU scored its' first goal of the game in the 25^th minute when Kristen McFarland sent a short shot in goal after some action in the box.

The Seminoles added a second goal in the 47^th minute when Taylor Hallmon sent a header in from just three feet out off a corner kick. After the goal, the Bears' defense once again frustrated FSU, forcing the Seminoles to stay outside the box and take tough shots. Florida State took 13 shots in the second half, four of which were blocked by Mercer players.

WOMAN OF THE MATCH
Senior goalkeeper Cristina Mursuli spent 90 minutes in goal for the Bears and made six saves while facing 25 shots. Mursuli made several diving stops and kept Florida State from feeling comfortable more than 10 yards out from the goal.

STAT OF THE GAME
Of Florida State's 25 shots in the match, just eight were on goal. In addition to Mursuli's six saves, Mercer's defense blocked six shots.

NOTABLES

Mursuli played her third complete match of the season and recorded six saves to anchor Mercer's solid defensive effort.

QUOTABLES
"Tonight was a great opportunity for our team, our players and our program to play the perennial power in Division I women's soccer in Florida State. We had a game plan intact today and I thought our players executed it almost to perfection. We knew it would be a defensive grind for us and our players worked extremely hard to keep the game compact, tight and close. To their credit, Florida State had 25 shots, but only eight were on frame. I thought we took a lot of opportunities away from Florida State, so I was very happy with that. To go into our conference slate after a performance like tonight, defensively, I'm very happy and proud. If we can continue this kind of effort and organization, we should do well in the SoCon." – Head Coach Tony Economopoulos.

RECORDS UPDATE

Mercer: 2-5-1, 0-0-0 SoCon
Florida State: 6-1-0, 0-0-0 ACC

UP NEXT
The Bears will be back in Macon to start Southern Conference play as Mercer hosts Western Carolina on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at Bear Field.

How to Follow the Bears:
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