Tied at the half at 0-0, the VMI women’s soccer team allowed two second-half goals in a 2-0 loss to the visiting Mercer Bears Friday afternoon at Patchin Field.
The Keydets (1-8-1, 0-1) played equally in the opening half of play and had only two fewer shots than the Bears (9-1,1-0) in the opening 45 minutes as Mercer took 10 shot attempts to VMI’s eight.
Five minutes into the second half, Mercer’s Nicole Icen snuck between the VMI defenders and took a cross from teammate Sarah Adcock. Icen planted the ball and managed to shoot it into the lower left corner of the net past VMI keeper Noelle Heilpern to give the Bears the 1-0 advantage.
Ten minutes later, the Bears went on attack again and Icen managed to get behind the Keydet defenders and put another one past Heilpern for an insurance goal with 30 minutes to play.
VMI had several close calls and nearly tied the game at 1-1 but Mercer goalie Jordyn Ebert was able to keep the ball out of the Mercer net. The Bears finished with 19 shots to VMI’s 13 and had eight corner kicks to VMI’s five. Heilpern finished the game with seven saves while Ebert finished with six.
Amber Risheg and Sam Franklin led VMI with three shots apiece during the game while Mariah Woods and Natalie Carpenter both had two. Icen led the Bears with four shots on the day with Amaya Evans and Sarah Adcock both had two.
The Keydets quickly return to action Sunday with a Southern Conference matchup against The Citadel at 1 p.m. at Patchin Field.
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