First Home Big South Win

Wednesday, April 6

Macon, Ga.

3 p.m.

Mercer University

7-3

Gardner-Webb

5-6

GWU

Mercer

4/7/2022 12:01:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Mercer defeats Gardner-Webb behind career days from Rhatigan and Koury

MACON, Ga. – The first-ever home Big South contest was one to remember. Mercer's 21-13 win over Gardner-Webb was highlighted by a 12-point performance by Hailey Rhatigan and featured an inclement weather delay that halted action at the third quarter's 9:36 mark. Maddi Koury's five goals is a personal best for the sophomore attacker.

The Bears (7-3, 3-0 Big South) set the tone early with four goals in the opening six minutes from Erin Degnan and a hat trick by Rhatigan. Gardner-Webb (5-6, 1-2 Big South) answered back with two of the next three to make it a 5-2 game, Mercer's score in the run was a strike from Kayla Soltys on a Degnan assist. A fourth by Rhatigan closed the first's scoring to give the Bears a 6-2 lead.

Bria Foley cut the Runnin' Bulldogs' deficit in half at 6-3 to open the second on an unassisted shot. 18 ticks later, Koury answered with a goal of her own to bring the lead back to four. Foley struck back with a second, but was followed by three Mercer scores by Rhatigan, Chloe Schaeffer and Lyndsey Lewis to up the lead to 10-4. The visitors tallied two straight but were promptly countered by Bears goals from Degnan and Rhatigan. Foley closed the half with a goal to cut the deficit to just five going into the break.

The third quarter was quiet for the first five-plus minutes before Jada Preston notched an unassisted score. Before the ensuing draw could take place, the game was halted for a five-plus hour delay that caused the game to be picked back up on Thursday morning.

Upon resumption, the Bears scored six of eight goals to dictate the tempo. The run saw two each from Degnan, Maddi Koury and Rhatigan to give the home team a 18-9 advantage. After a Gardner-Webb goal, Mercer answered with scores from Degnan and Lewis for a 10-goal advantage.

The visitors ended with scoring two of the final three goals, Mercer's being a Schaeffer goal with 6:19 to play.
Rhatigan's eight goals tied her career-best last set in a March 2019 win over Detroit Mercy. Additionally, she totaled season-highs in shots on goal (12), assists (4) and points (12).

Collectively, Mercer totaled 41 shots, with 32 being on frame. The Bears converted on 95% (21-for-22) on clearing opportunities.
Mercer will be back in action against former SoCon foe, Furman, on Saturday, April 9. Opening draw from Greenville, S.C. is slated for 1 p.m.

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