Bears Fall In SoCon Tournament Championship Game To Samford

Sunday, November 9

Birmingham, Ala.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

10-7-3, 3-3-3

Samford

13-2-5, 7-0-2

Mercer

Samford

Wsoccer team picture with runner-up trophy

Bears Fall In SoCon Tournament Championship Game To Samford

11/9/2025 8:26:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Bears finish season with 10-7-3 record

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mercer women's soccer's conference tournament run came to an end Sunday in the SoCon Tournament championship game as the Bears dropped a 4-1 decision at No. 1 seed Samford in Birmingham, Alabama.

In what was Mercer's first championship game appearance since 2015, the Bears defeated No. 3 seed ETSU and No. 2 seed Western Carolina to reach the championship game, but the regular season conference champion Bulldogs were able to win their second consecutive conference tournament championship.

Mercer finishes the season with a 10-7-3 overall record, marking the third straight season with at least 10 wins for the Bears and Coach Economopoilos.

Samford led in shots with 16 shots to Mercer's nine. Shots on goal were 6-3, Samford.

The Bears couldn't have asked for a better start to the game as less than two minutes in, Sydney Farr played a ball up to Morganne Eikelbarner who took a few touches and placed a left-footed shot to the far right post that found the back of the net to give Mercer an early 1-0 lead. It was Eikelbarner's team best 10th goal of the season.

Morganne scores the game's opening goal less than two minutes in! 🐻🔥

Mercer 1, Samford 0#GoBears #MUWS pic.twitter.com/pAVWvoSQCD
— Mercer Women's Soccer (@MercerWSoccer) November 9, 2025

Samford found the game-tying goal in the 22nd minute as Langston Lilly scored her first goal of the season for the Bulldogs from near the top of the box to tie the game at one. The score remained tied at one at halftime.

Samford scored just 26 seconds into the second half on a loose ball in the box to take its first lead of the game at 2-1. The Bulldogs would add two more goals in the 60th and 71st minutes of the game to earn the 4-1 win in the SoCon championship game.

SCORING SUMMARY
2'	MERCER GOAL: Morganne Eikelbarner (10) ASSIST: Syndey Farr
22'	SAMFORD GOAL: Langston Lilly (1) ASSIST: None
46'	SAMFORD GOAL: Sam De Luca (15) ASSIST: Mamie Carman, Hanna Himes
71'	SAMFORD GOAL: Caroline Smith (2) ASSIST: Hanna Himes, Sarah Hoilland

NOTABLES

+ Mercer finishes the season with a 10-7-3 overall record. The third straight 10-win season for the Bears.
+ Morganne Eikelbarner scored her team best 10th goal of the season. She finished the year with a team best and career high 24 points.
+ Mercer finished the year with 33 goals scored and 29 goals against.
+ The Bears had seven shutouts on the season.

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