Mercer Plays USF To 2-2 Draw In Tampa

Thursday, September 10

Tampa, Fla.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

5-3-1, 0-0-0

South Florida

2-4-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Mercer	0	2	2
South Fla.	1	1	2

9/11/2026 12:48:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Freshmen Zibby Michaelson and Emily Rutkowski scored for the Bears

TAMPA, Fla. – After a two hour lightning delay, the Mercer women's soccer team played USF to a 2-2 draw Thursday night from Corbett Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

In just the second ever meeting between the two side, Mercer used a strong second half, scoring both goals in the final 45 minutes to take a 2-1 lead, before South Florida was able to tie the game at two with just over 10 minutes to play.

The game was originally scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET, but didn't start until 9 p.m. ET with lightning moving through the Tampa area Thursday night. Mercer outshot USF, 15-13 in the game, and each team had five shots on goal.

USF was awarded a penalty kick in the ninth minute, but the Bulls' Maya Hindson missed the goal on her shot, keeping the game scoreless. In the 18th minute, USF opened the scoring on a long distance shot to take a 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 as both teams went into halftime.

Mercer's halftime adjustments were seen right away, as less than two minutes into the second half, Anna Bachman's cross was headed over the USF goalie where Zibby Michaelson was there to tap the ball into the net for her sixth goal of the season to tie the game at one.

From there, Mercer kept pushing for the go-ahead goal and eventually got it on a well-worked goal as once again Bachman played a through ball to Bori, who played a low driven cross into the box where Emily Rutkowski put away the goal to give Mercer a 2-1 lead.

USF was able to level the score in the 80th minute and the game finished out in a 2-2 draw.

SCORING SUMMARY
18'	USF GOAL: Brooke Fabri(1) ASSISTS: Unassisted
47'	MERCER GOAL: Zibby Michaelson (6) ASSISTS: Olivia Bori, Anna Bachman
67'	MERCER GOAL: Emily Rutkowski (2) ASSISTS: Olivia Bori, Anna Bachman
56'	USF GOAL: Sophia Cabral (3) ASSISTS: Unassisted

NOTABLES

+ The game was just the second all-time meeting between Mercer and USF. The first meeting came in 2005.
+ Both of Mercer's goals were scored by freshmen: Zibby Michaelson, Emily Rutkowski,
+ Mercer outshout USF, 15-13.
+ Avery Parker finished with three saves in goal.
+ Maria Karipidis led all players with a game-high five shots.
+ Michaelson's goal came just 98 seconds into the second half.

UP NEXT

Mercer opens conference play next Thursday, Sept. 17 at ETSU. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET from Johnson City, Tennessee.

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