Mercer Drops 4-2 Contest On The Road To Samford

Thursday, October 17

Birmingham, Ala.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

9-4-3, 3-2-2

Samford

8-6-2, 5-1-1

Mercer

Samford

Mercer Drops 4-2 Contest On The Road To Samford

10/17/2024 10:15:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Mercer women's soccer team dropped its second conference match of the season at Samford on Thursday night by a final of 4-2.

Sara Engels and Larkin Thomason each scored and assisted on the goals for the Bears. Mercer outshot Samford, 19-14 and the Bears had nine shots on goal to Samford's four.

Samford scored first in the 12th minute to take a 1-0 lead. It was the first time in Mercer's last five games that the Bears trailed at any point in a game.

Mercer responded in the 19th minute on a nicely worked goal as Thomason did well near the end line, inside the box to find Engels near the top of the box who took a shot first time with her left foot that curled over the Bulldogs goalie and just under the crossbar and into the top right corner to tie the game.

Samford would retake the lead less than two minutes later in the 21st minute and the Bulldogs would find the back of the net once more just before halftime to take a 3-1 lead into the break.

The first goal in the second half was going to be pivotal and the Bears were the side who scored that important goal in the 59th minute as Engels crossed a ball from the left hand side into the box and Thomason headed home her 14th goal of the season to bring Mercer back within one at 3-2.

Following Thomason's goal, the Bears continued to press for a game-tying goal, but Samford ultimately got a fourth goal on an own goal from the Bears to go up 4-2 in the 79th minute.

SCORING SUMMARY
12'	SAMFORD GOAL: Fleming Dean (4) ASSIST: Whitaker Buchanan
19'	MERCER GOAL: Sara Engels (3) ASSIST: Larkin Thomason
21'	SAMFORD GOAL: Whitaker Buchanan (2) ASSIST: Layton Glisson
42'	SAMFORD GOAL: Brookleyn Miller (3) ASSIST: Kaitlin Maynard
59'	MERCER GOAL: Larkin Thomason (14) ASSIST: Sara Engels
79'	SAMFORD GOAL: Mercer own goal ASSIST: None

TOP BEARS

+ Sara Engels and Larkin Thomason each had great nights offensively with three points on a goal and an assist.
+ Freshman Hayden Lepley played 57 minutes in the midfield; the second most minutes for her this season.

NOTABLES

+ The loss was Mercer's fourth of the season, but the first in which the Bears lost by more than one goal.
+ It was Engles' first three-point game of the season.
+ Mercer's two goals are tied for the most goals Samford has allowed to a SoCon opponent this season.

UP NEXT

Mercer's next game is at home on Sunday, October 20 at 2 p.m. at Betts Stadium. It is Homecoming Weekend for the team.

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Fans can help support the Mercer athletics department by making a gift to the Mercer Athletic Foundation. To find out more information about the Mercer Athletic Foundation, visit S upportMAF.com or email maf@mercer.edu.