CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga women's soccer team scored a pair of goals in the final five minutes to snare a 3-2 win over Mercer Thursday night at Finley Stadium in the Southern Conference opener for both teams. Chattanooga improved to 7-2 overall and 1-0 in league play while the Bears drop to 5-4-2 on the year and 0-1 against the conference.
Caroline Richvalsky headed in the equalizer with 4:33 remaining in the game to make it 2-2.
Hannah Opie took a pass deep on the left side from
Birna Johannsdottir. Opie set up her pass into the box and Richvalsky came in with a heavy defense to head the ball home.
Just minutes later,
Zoey Mize lined up for a corner kick with 1:28 on the clock. She bent her shot over the keeper and untouched into the far side of the net for the game winner.
Chattanooga edged Mercer 15-14 on shots and 7-6 shots on goal.
Clarissa Salinas and Richvalsky led the Mocs with four shots apiece and Mize had three.
Caroline Ekern had four saves.
Mercer got on the board first with a header from Jada Moorman, scoring her eighth goal of the season.
Chattanooga would get the first half equalizer.
Caroline Richvalsky drew a foul, setting up a free kick.
Kelly Tuerff sent a shot in from nearly 40 yards out and right onto the foot of Salinas. Salinas kept her defender on her left hip and moved into the box. She picked up the ball on her right foot and sent it into the left side of the net off the Mercer keeper's hand for her second goal of the season.
The Bears retook the lead late in the match. In the 75
th minute Lena Dykes sent in a deep shot that was headed in by Larkin Thomason to make it 2-1 with 15:49 to play.
Moorman had a game-high five shots and Larkin Thomason had four. Keeper Lindsey Bell had four saves in the loss.
The Mocs will hit the road to take on The Citadel Sunday afternoon in Charleston, S.C. The game is set to kick off at 2:00 p.m.
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SCORING SUMMARY
