Mercer Drops Game At Home To No. 5 Notre Dame

Sunday, March 24

Macon, Ga.

Noon

Mercer University

3-5

Notre Dame

9-2, 3-2ACC

Notre Dame

Mercer

Mercer Drops Game At Home To No. 5 Notre Dame

3/24/2024 3:15:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

MACON, Ga. - The Mercer women's lacrosse team couldn't keep pace with No. 5 Notre Dame as the Irish pulled away for a 20-6 win over the Bears Sunday afternoon from Five Star Stadium.

The two teams were tied after the first quarter, but Notre Dame was able to take control of the game especially in the second half to earn the nonconference win.

The Irish doubled up Mercer in shots, 42-21. Shots on goal were 33-16 Notre Dame. Notre Dame was excellent in the draw circle enabling them to go on scoring runs in the second half. Draw controls were 22-5 in favor of the Irish.

Gabby DiVirgilio led Mercer's attack with two goals on the day. Defensively, Caroline Doffermyre and Sarah Leahy each had a team high two caused turnovers for the Bears. In goal, Kate Vanderlinde made some big saves in the first half to keep the Bears in the game through the first half. She finished with 13 saves in the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The two teams went back in forth in the first quarter. DiVirgilio started things off with a goal less than one minute in to the game to put Mercer up 1-0. Notre Dame took its first lead of the game at 3-2 with just over three minutes to play. Maddi Koury scored to even the game at three after the first quarter.

Caroline Glus scored a free position goal four minutes in to the second quarter to force the fourth tie of the game at 4-4. Notre Dame went on short scoring run following Glus' goal and took a 7-4 lead at halftime.

Notre Dame scored the first two goals in the second half. Then, Abby Vane scored on a nice pass from Sandy Salit to make it a 9-5 lead for the Irish. Notre Dame closed the quarter strong, scoring the last five goals to take a 14-5 lead into the final quarter.

Walters scored Mercer's lone goal in the fourth quarter with just over eight miinutes to play which made it 16-6 Notre Dame. The Irish tacked on a few more goals before the game ended.

NOTABLES

Kate Vanderlinde made 13 saves in the game and reached 250 career saves in doing so
Mercer was 3-for-5 on free position shots
Mercer had 12 caused turnovers, one shy of its season high of 13 against Virginia Tech
DiVirgilio's two goals give her 20 on the season to lead the Bears
Freshman Ansley Walters scored to continue her streak of at least one goal in every game this season

Mercer will start Big South play on Wednesday as Presbyterian comes to Macon. The game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

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.