Mercer And UNCG Play To 3-3 Draw

Sunday, October 13

Greensboro, N.C.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

9-3-3, 3-1-2

UNC Greensboro

4-6-4, 3-1-2

Mercer

UNC Greensboro

10/13/2024 4:35:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Three different players scored for the Bears

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Three different players scored for Mercer as the Bears took a 3-0 lead before UNCG mounted a comeback as the game ended in a 3-3 draw Sunday afternoon in Greensboro, North Carolina.

With the draw, the two teams each now have 11 points in conference play with identical 3-1-2 conference records. UNCG led in shots, 21-13 but each team had six shots on goal.

Mercer got on the board first in the 12th minute as Lena Dykes stole the ball in the midfield, picked her head up and found Jada Moorman running past the Spartans back line who calmly placed her shot past the UNCG goalie for her sixth goal of the season. The Bears would take a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Mercer started the second half just how the would have liked - scoring the next goal - as Kendall Cook took a corner kick in the 49th minute that was headed into the back of the net by Keelin Pray to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.

Just minutes later in the 52nd minute, Marianna Rapani showed off her skill down the right hand side, beating multiple Spartan defenders with nifty moves before crossing the ball into the box where Larkin Thomson volleyed the ball off a short bounce and into the right side of the goal to extend Mercer's lead to 3-0.

However, UNCG fought back quickly, scoring in the 54th minute for their first goal of the game to make it 3-1 Bears. In the 70th minute a shot from UNCG's Taylor Mentzer hit the crossbar before unfortunately for the Bears bouncing off a Mercer defender and into the net.

Just under two minutes after getting within one goal, UNCG would tie the game in the 71st minute. Each side had a few shots throughout the final 19 minutes of the game but the teams had to settle for a 3-3 draw.

SCORING SUMMARY
12'	MERCER GOAL: Jada Moorman (6) ASSIST: Lena Dykes
49'	MERCER GOAL: Keelin Pray (2) ASSIST: Kendall Cook
52'	MERCER GOAL: Larkin Thomason (13) ASSIST: Marianna Rapani
54'	UNCG GOAL: Bailey Gourdine ASSIST: Lydia Hindt
70'	UNCG GOAL: Mercer own goal ASSIST: None
71'	UNCG GOAL: Morgan Brubaker ASSIST: Mel Herrera

TOP BEARS

+ Making her first career start for the Bears, freshman Marianna Rapani played a career high 70 minutes and had an assist.
+ Keelin Pray was great in the air, not only scoring her goal off a header but defended corners well by heading the ball out of danger.

NOTABLES

+ With today's draw, Mercer and UNCG have now played to a draw in each of their last four meetings.
+ Mercer's three goals were the most they've scored against a SoCon opponent this season.
+ Marianna Rapani's assist on Larkin Thomason's goal in the 52nd minute was her first career assist.
+ Larkin Thomason extended her single-season career goal mark to 13 goals. She has scored in 10 of Mercer's 14 games this season.
+ Kendall Cook's assist on Keelin Pray's goal in the 49th minute was her seventh of the season. Tied for the most in the SoCon.

UP NEXT

Mercer's next game is Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m. at Samford in Birmingham, Alabama.

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