Women's Soccer Falls at Mercer

Sunday, October 14

Macon, GA

1 p.m.

University of North Florida

-682, 421 ASun

Mercer

-1133, 502 ASun

North Florida

Mercer

Photo by: Todd Drexler

10/14/2012 3:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: UNF Athletics

MACON, Ga. -- The University of North Florida women's soccer team fell to Mercer, 3-0, on Sunday afternoon.

“We battled, but we obviously weren't very happy with our performance today,” Head Coach Linda Hamilton said. “It's just so tough to recover from going down as early as we did. We can't put ourselves in that kind of hole.”

Mercer struck first, getting on the board just 52 seconds into the match when Tess Patton jumped on a loose ball in the UNF third, took a dribble and fired a shot to the far post that gave the Owls an early 1-0 lead.

Patton was heard from again in the 19th minute. After a cross from Nadja Kolliesuah was deflected across the box, Patton was able to poke a shot into the upper-right corner of the net to put the Owls up 2-0.

Mercer tacked on a third in the 26th minute on a set piece. Lauren Gassie sent in a corner kick from the right side that Devon Fry nodded back across the face of the goal to make the score 3-0, a scoreline that would carry into halftime.

At the half, Mercer had a 9-4 advantage in shots and had taken three corner kicks to the Ospreys' one.

In the second period, the teams were more evenly matched, combining for just five shots after halftime. Much of the final 30 minutes was spent on the Ospreys' attacking half, but UNF could not break through for a goal.

Senior Kathryne Husted and junior Lauren Hopfensperger led the UNF offense with a pair of shots each.

Despite Sunday's loss, other conference action meant that the Ospreys have clinched a spot in the 2012 Atlantic Sun Tournament. Six teams make the tournament, while the top two teams in the regular season standings will receive byes to the semi-finals.

“We're very happy to have a spot in the tournament; that's been our goal this season,” Hamilton said. “But, we clearly have a lot of work to do between now and then.”

The Ospreys will wrap up their regular season next weekend at home when they welcome USC Upstate to Hodges Stadium on Friday, Oct. 19. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.