Opening with a Win

Friday, February 18

Macon, Ga.

5:00 PM

Mercer University

1-0

Oregon

1-1

ORE

Merce

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

2/18/2022 9:25:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Mercer uses nine-goal second half to drop Ducks

MACON, Ga. – A well-balanced attack from Mercer defeated the Pac-12's Oregon, by a 15-12 score. Shannon Urey led the Bears' attack with six points on five goals and an assist to set the tone for the contest.

Hailey Rhatigan opened the scoring for Mercer (1-0) with an unassisted strike to take a 1-0 lead just 40 seconds into the campaign. Following the ensuing draw and after a Kayla Soltys shot off the post, Erin Degnan fed the ball to Chloe Schaeffer, who fired it past Oregon's Cassidy Eckert for the quick 2-0 lead.

The Ducks (1-1) countered with three goals over the next five minutes for their first lead of the game. Rhatigan leveled it at 3 from eight meters out not even two minutes later. After another Oregon goal, Urey notched one from a Rhatigan assist to bring it back to even. Urey opened the second frame with a goal off an assist by Hannah Lind to take back the advantage. Oregon quickly responded with three more past Isea Cryne to take back the lead. Following an Erin Degnan goal, the Ducks took the lead back right before half.

Mercer seized momentum with three goals in a three-minute stretch of the third which flipped a 9-6 deficit to a tied game at 9. The Ducks took three of the next five to regain a 12-11 lead, which in turn, was their last. Urey, Soltys and Degnan combined for the last four goals to seal the season-opening victory.

The win marks the first win in program history over a Pac-12 opponent. On Sunday, Mercer can make that two when they host USC at Noon on Sunday, Feb. 20.

Mercer fired 30 shots, with 23 going toward the direction of Oregon's Eckert.

Rhatigan tallied six points on three goals and three assists, while Degnan tacked on two goals and assist & Soltus scored twice.

Cryne stopped 10 shots while picking up the win.

Follow the Bears:
For complete coverage of Mercer Women's Lacrosse, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerWLAX (Twitter) and @Mercerwlax (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.