In their third game of the spring season, Auburn soccer defeated the Mercer bears Saturday, 3-1, behind the offensive pressure of Woodson and Crosby.
It didn’t take long for Auburn to start creating pressure with Dylan Driver and Erin Houston, but the Auburn duo struggled to put it past Mercer’s Weiger. Auburn’s Crosby would finally take advantage in the 14th minute as she put a ball into the top left corner after some impressive ball control. Mercer’s offensive opportunities came few and far between, as Jada Moorman’s opportunity at the 15th minute provided the only scare for Auburn’s goalie.
Crosby and Driver would continue to create great opportunities in Mercer’s own 18 after Weiger got shaken up early in the first half, but couldn’t capitalize the rest of the period.
It would be a slow start to the second period compared to the first for Auburn, as Auburn’s forwards couldn’t get many chances in Mercer’s third. That would change after Hayden Colson’s yellow in the midfield changed the attitude around halfway through. Jessica Osborne would hit a perfect header over Mercer’s goalie to make it 2-0 Tigers a couple minutes later.
Mercer would respond late in the second behind a perfectly placed kick by Karlie Dell right over Sapong’s head, putting the Bears down 2-1.
With three shots in just over three minutes to start the period, Auburn’s offense, led by Dylan Driver, started to turn up the pressure on Mercer’s Parker to try and get that goal back. The constant push from Auburn slowed down as Mercer’s defense was able to start defending against Auburn’s spacing. That was until the 10-minute mark when Olivia Woodson headed a beautiful assist by Erin Houston to put the Tigers up 3-1.
Mercer would get the ball within scoring distance late, but would fail to put it in as the Tigers win 3-1 over three periods.
Auburn soccer is back in action next Saturday on the road at UAB. That game will be at 11:00 AM in John Hunt Park.
