Super Start in Big South Opener

Friday, March 25

Clinton, SC

3 p.m.

Mercer University

4-2

Presbyterian

2-7

Mercer

Presbyterian

3/25/2022 5:23:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Mercer uses 18 unanswered to power past Presbyterian, 20-3

CLINTON, S.C. – In their first-ever Big South game, Mercer shut down the opposition for nearly three quarters on their way to a 20-3 win over Presbyterian on the road.

"Today was a great way to start Big South Conference play", exclaimed Head Coach Samantha Eustace. "We had very balanced play on both ends, proud of our team."

Hailey Rhatigan led the Bears with five goals and two assists, Chloe Schaeffer tallied four scores and a pair of assists, while four – Kileigh Casey, Erin Degnan, Lyndsey Lewis and Shannon Urey – scored a pair and another three – Maddi Koury, Emma Pizzo and Abby Soltys – scored one apiece.

The Blue Hose (2-7, 0-1 Big South) won the opening draw and promptly scored first with just 15 ticks off the clock. After that it was all Mercer. Schaeffer and Urey sparked Mercer (4-2, 1-0) with four goals in a little more than five minutes to turn the short-lived 0-1 deficit to a 4-1 lead. Lewis, Rhatigan and Casey scored the next four to take an 8-1 lead following the first frame.

Q1 8:00 » Shannon goes OVER the goalie for her second of the day! MER 4, PC 1 pic.twitter.com/CqYLJiVQQh
— Mercer Women's Lacrosse (@MercerWLAX) March 25, 2022

Not even two minutes into the second, Lewis buried her second of the game for the ninth-straight score. Koury followed shortly with her score just 93 seconds later for the 10-1 advantage.
Mercer gained the running clock when Schaeffer completed her hat trick at the 9:16 mark of the second quarter. Strikes from Casey, Degnan and Rhatigan in the stanza's last 7:38 brought the Bears a sizable 13-goal lead at the break. Like Schaeffer, Rhatigan tallied a hat trick in the game's first 30 minutes.

Four goals highlighted the third as Rhatigan, Soltys and Degnan made the advantage 17 going into the last frame.

Q2 7:38 » @CaseyKileigh pads the lead with her second of the contest! MER 12, PC 1 pic.twitter.com/f2I7sYIVMU
— Mercer Women's Lacrosse (@MercerWLAX) March 25, 2022

Schaeffer and Pizzo scored in the fourth and were matched by two from the Blue Hose. Pizzo led Mercer with a pair of caused turnovers.

The Bears fired 33 shots, with 30 of those going on frame – Rhatigan's seven paced Mercer on the afternoon. Isea Cryne and Kate Vanderlinde spent 30 minutes apiece in the cage for the Bears and both stopped a pair of Presbyterian shots.

Mercer was nearly perfect (13-for-14) on clearing opportunities and claimed 16 of the 25 draw chances.

Q3 8:16 » high 🖐️ ... @haileyrhatigan with her 𝙛𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙝 of the afternoon. MER 17, PC 1 pic.twitter.com/DLIUYvyffc
— Mercer Women's Lacrosse (@MercerWLAX) March 25, 2022

For the second time in the last four league games, the Bears scored 20 or more goals.

On Sunday, Mercer will return home to start a two-game homestand when they host Stetson at Noon.

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