Bears Pull Away In Second Half For 3-1 Win Over Jacksonville

Thursday, September 7

Jacksonville, Fla.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

4-0-3, 0-0-0

Jacksonville

2-3-1, 0-0-0

Mercer

Jacksonville

Bears Pull Away In Second Half For 3-1 Win Over Jacksonville

9/7/2023 9:17:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Mercer goals scored by Dykes, Moorman, and Karipidis

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two Mercer goals, three minutes apart in the second half helped Mercer leave Jacksonville with a 3-1 win on Thursday night from South Oak Stadium in Jacksonville.

Sophomore defender Lena Dykes scored her first goal of the season and second career goal in the 16th minute to open the scoring. Dykes reacted quickly to a bouncing loose ball that came down just under the crossbar to put Mercer up 1-0.

Mercer (4-0-3) led 1-0 at halftime, but Jacksonville responded quickly in the second half with a goal exactly five minutes into the second half to make it a 1-1 game.

Jada Moorman took a pass over the top of the Jacksonville back line from Kendall Cook and touched the ball around the defender and passed the ball between the Jacksonville goalie's legs to put Mercer back in front 2-1 in the 61st minute.

Three minutes later it was freshman midfielder Maria Karipidis who received a pass from Ciara Whitely and cut inside the box and took a low right-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner of the goal to give the Bears a 3-1 lead. It was the first career goal for the freshman from New York.

Mercer goalie Lindsay Bell made three saves in the game. Cook led the Bears with four shots, including two on goal. Mercer outshot Jacksonville, 17-6, including a 10-4 shots on goal advantage.

Mercer plays its second of three consecutive road games Sunday at UNC Asheville.

SCORING SUMMARY
16'	MERCER GOAL: Lena Dykes (1); ASSIST: None
51'	JACKSONVILLE GOAL: Lillian Young (3); ASSIST: Martin Ines
61'	MERCER GOAL: Jada Moorman (4); ASSIST: Kendall Cook
64'	MERCER GOAL: Maria Karipidis (1); ASSIST: Ciara Whitely

TOP BEARS

+ Lena Dykes got things started for Mercer with the first goal of the game and played the second most minutes for the Bears (84).
+ Jada Moorman scored her fourth goal of the season which ended up being the game-winning goal.
+ Freshman Maria Karipidis gave the Bears some breathing room with a beautiful goal to give Mercer a 3-1 lead.

NOTABLES

+ The Bears have outshot six of their seven opponents this season.
+ Karipidis is the second freshman for the Bears to score this season (Larkin Thomason - 5 goals)
+ Mercer had nine corners and Jacksonville had none.
+ Nine different Mercer players accounted for 10 of Mercer's shots on goals

UP NEXT

Mercer plays its second of three consecutive road games Sunday at UNC Asheville.

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