Mercer Defeats Virginia Tech 11-8, Earns First Ever Win Over ACC Opponent

Sunday, February 19

Blacksburg, VA

12 PM

Mercer University

1-0

Virginia Tech

1-2

Mercer

Virginia Tech

Mercer Defeats Virginia Tech 11-8, Earns First Ever Win Over ACC Opponent

2/19/2023 3:31:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Shannon Urey had four goals in season opening win

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Mercer women's lacrosse team defeated Virginia Tech 11-8 for an emphatic season opening win on Sunday afternoon in Blacksburg. It is the first win over an ACC opponent in program history for the Bears.

Mercer was excellent in draw controls, with 15 to Virginia Tech's 8. Lyndsey Lewis had nine of Mercer's 15 controls.

Senior Shannon Urey led the Bears offensively with four goals. Chloe Schaeffer had four points and Maddi Koury had three assists.

Defensively Carmella Fischer had three ground balls and three caused turnovers.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Shannon Urey got things started with the first goal of the game. Virginia Tech would respond, scoring the next four goals of the game to take a 4-1 lead with more than 11 minutes to play in the second quarter.

The Bears would score the next three, with goals from Emily Barnes, Erin Degnan, and Chloe Schaeffer to even the game at four.

After Virginia Tech gained the lead back, the Bears scored two goals in the final 90 seconds of the first half to take a 6-5 lead into halftime.

In the second half, Mercer got off to a fast start scoring three goals in the opening minutes of the third quarter and extended its lead to 10-6 with two of the goals coming from Urey.

In the fourth quarter, Virginia Tech got within two at 10-8 with just over four minutes to play. However, Shannon Urey scored arguably her most important goal of the game from the free position to give Mercer an 11-8 lead with just under three minutes remaining.

NOTABLES

With the win, Mercer earned its first win over an ACC opponent in program history.
The Bears have won back-to-back season openers against Power 5 teams (15-12 win over Oregon in 2022).
In her first start since her freshman season in 2020, senior Kate Vanderlinde made seven saves in goal.
Lyndsey Lewis' game-high nine draw controls were more than Virginia Tech had as a team (8).
Urey's four goals were one-shy of her career-high five goals against Oregon last season.

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.