Stopping Stetson on Sunday

Sunday, March 27

Macon, Ga.

Noon

Mercer University

4-2

Stetson

3-6

STETLAX

Merce

Photo by: Connor Garrison

3/27/2022 3:02:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Mercer's 11 first-quarter goals leads to big win

MACON, Ga. – Fresh off a double-digit win in the league opener, Mercer kept up the pace with another big day in a 22-12 victory over Stetson at home.

Hailey Rhatigan led the Bears' (5-2) offense with six goals on 10 shots while Erin Degnan and Shannon Urey each bagged a hat trick. A trio – Maddi Koury, Kayla Soltys and Chloe Schaeffer – tallied a pair of goals, while four – Kileigh Casey, Kate Giglio, Lyndsey Lewis and Abby Soltys – notched one apiece. Giglio's score was the first of her collegiate career.
Samantha Paglino led the Hatters (3-7) with a hat trick.

"Really was proud of the way we started the game," said Head Coach Samantha Eustace. "Very balanced scoring today and we dominated on the draw which has been a focus!"

Degnan kicked off the scoring with her first just 56 seconds into the game, but Saige Roe evened it just ticks later for Stetson at 1-1. Five goals for the home team in a stretch that didn't even take 3 minutes gave Mercer the lead for good and saw Rhatigan (x2), Schaeffer and Urey score. Jordyn Humphrey pulled one back for Stetson over five minutes into the first, but then was countered by four unanswered for Mercer. It did not even take nine minutes for Rhatigan to complete a first quarter hat trick, scoring her third to make it a 9-2 with 6:18. Urey tacked another to take an 11-3 lead into the second.

Mercer added six in the second with another three from Rhatigan while Degnan, Koury and Urey combined for the following three.

Casey opened the third quarter's scoring off an assist from Hannah Lind, then Lewis found the back of the net for a 19-6 lead. Three straight for the visitors meant a 19-9 scoreline into the final frame.

Kayla Soltys was the leading scorer in the fourth, as she was helped by Taylor Yahn and Abby Soltys on separate goals. Giglio wrapped the scoring with just 1:09 left in the contest.

Isea Cryne and Kate Vanderlinde again split time in the cage on the afternoon. Both tallied 30 minutes in net. Cryne made eight stops, while Vanderlinde had five.

The Bears fired off 39 shots, with 33 of those going on net. Kayla Soltys led with eight draw controls and Gabby DiVirgilo caused a pair of turnovers.

On Sunday, Mercer will complete a two-game homestand when they host 11^th-ranked Florida at 3 p.m. Milly Grub hot dogs will be given away to the first 200 students in attendance.

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