MACON, Ga. – The Georgia State women's soccer team tied Mercer 2-2 Sunday afternoon in the team's regular-season opener. The Panthers were led by Nikki Fedele and Whitney Ravan who each scored a goal and recorded an assist.
GSU opened the scoring in the 4th minute when Fedele assisted on Ravan's first goal of the season. Fedele sent a cross into the box and Ravan was able to head the ball past Mercer keeper Maggie Cropp to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
The lead would be short lived with the Bears equalizing the score in the 14th minute. Lauren Gassie crossed the ball into the box off a corner kick. Tess Patton was able to beat the Panther defenders to the ball and head it into the back of the net past GSU goalie Brie Haynes.
Both teams continued the attack for the remainder of the first half but neither goalkeeper was tested. The half ended with the score tied 1-1. At the break, Mercer held the edge in shots (12-5) and took the only corner kick of the half.
Early in the second half, the Bears were on the attack early, attempting five shots in the first 10 minutes. Two of those shots were on target but Haynes was there to make both saves. However, GSU took the lead in the 57th minute on the Panthers' first attacking chance of the second half. Fedele beat Cropp with a header off a cross from Ravan to give Georgia State a 2-1 advantage.
GSU thought it had escaped with a 2-1 win but the referee called a foul and added five seconds to the clock. Then Mercer's Sarah Daane was able to beat Haynes off a free kick to tie the game 2-2 with four seconds left.
“It was a great learning experience for our team to go through something like that. It was disappointing thinking the game had been won only to be heading into overtime,” head coach Derek Leader said after the unique finish.
In the first period of extra time, Mercer attempted the only shot but it was high and teams headed to double overtime. In the second overtime, both teams were on the attack looking for the game-winner. Each team fired two shots on goal but both goalkeepers were up to the task and the gamed ended tied 2-2.
For the game, Mercer outshot Georgia State (29-11) and took four more corner kicks (5-1). GSU freshman goalie Brie Haynes finished the game with nine saves in her first career start for the Panthers.
GSU will return to the field Friday, Aug. 30 when it travels to face SEC foe Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The match is set to kickoff at 8 p.m. ET.
“We do need to recover both physically and mentally after playing 110 minutes. We know we have a tough game at Alabama but we will be ready,” Leader said.
