Mercer Defeats Gardner-Webb 24-5 in Big South Opener

Wednesday, March 29

Boiling Springs, NC

3 PM

Mercer University

7-2, 1-0Big South

Gardner-Webb

1-8, 0-1Big South

Mercer

Gardner-Webb

Mercer Defeats Gardner-Webb 24-5 in Big South Opener

3/29/2023 6:29:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Mercer’s 24 goals tied for second most in game in program history

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – In a complete team win, Mercer limited Gardner-Webb to just seven shots on goal and 13 different players scored for the Bears in a 24-5 win at Gardner-Webb Wednesday afternoon to open Big South play.

Mercer outscored Gardner-Webb 18-2 in the final three quarters. The Bears outshot the Runnin' Bulldogs 43-14 and shots on goal were decisively in Mercer's favor at 39-7.

Mercer was excellent in draw controls with a 23-9 advantage. The Bears also limited their turnovers, recording just nine turnovers for the game, a season low.

Mercer had 13 different goal scorers contribute in the offensive explosion, led by Shannon Urey's five goals to push her season total to a Big South best 36 goals.

Maddi Koury and Chloe Schaeffer each recorded hat tricks for the Bears. The Bears, also saw three different players score their first collegiate goal in Sandy Salit, Sarah Leahy (2 goals), and Kaileigh Wallace (2 goals).

Erin Degnan led the Bears with six draw controls to go with two goals. Three different goalies got playing time for the Bears with Kate Vanderlinde starting, followed by Kayla Casey and freshman Madison Vane.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Maddi Koury scored less than a minute in, followed by Urey's first of the game to put Mercer out in front 2-0 early. Gardner-Webb tied it at two in the first quarter, but that was as close as they would get for the rest of the game.

Mercer outscored Gardner-Webb 7-0 in the second quarter and led 13-3 at halftime with seven different players accounting for the 13 first half goals.

After Gardner-Webb scored the first goal in the third quarter, Mercer would score the next 11 goals. The run including first career goals for Salit, Leahy, and Wallace. Jordan Bramble also scored her first goal of the season in the fourth quarter.

NOTABLES

Mercer's 24 goals were tied for the second most goals scored in a game in program history. The program record is 26, set in 2017.
Mercer allowed just one shot on goal in the second and fourth quarter.
Mercer's nine turnovers were the fewest the Bears have had in a game this season.
Mercer was a perfect 4-for-4 on free position shots.
The Bears put 39 of their 43 shots on goal for a .907 shots on goal (SOG) percentage. Their best SOG percentage this season.
Mercer's 23 draw controls were the most the Bears had in a game this season.
DiVirgilio's goal extended her goal streak to a career-long six consecutive games.

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.