Any hope KSU had of bringing home a soccer victory as a 50th birthday present to the school was dashed on Friday night by Mercer midfielder Haleigh Svede’s double- overtime winner.
The freshman’s left-footed strike skipped past Owls goalkeeper Olivia Sturdivant in the 109th minute to give Mercer the comeback victory over the visiting Owls (6-7, 3-2). The loss drops KSU to fifth place in the Atlantic Sun with nine points.
KSU’s solid performance in the first half will likely leave them feeling that they were unfortunate to leave Macon without getting at least a draw. The Owls forced eight first-half saves on 13 shots, but it was actually a fluky set piece that put the Owls on the scoreboard. A Jewelia Strickland free kick in the 34th minute from behind the half-way line was misjudged by Mercer goalkeeper Maggie Cropp, who was forced to spectate as the ball bounced over her head and into the net. Strickland’s reliable service has provided three assists on the year, but she netted her first goal of the season on the deceptive hop of the ball.
Before Friday, the Owls were 4-0 in matches in which they took a 1-0 lead in the first half. This particular advantage, however, could only be held until the 71st minute, when Kim Murphy equalized for the Bears. Murphy instinctively redirected Mackenzie Stewart’s half volley into Sturdivant’s goal to tie the match at 1-1.
Neither team could manage a winner deep in regulation, so the match carried into extra time, the first occasion for the Owls since last season’s 1-1 draw at home against Mercer.
Svede’s late winner erased the chance for a repeat, though, and sent the Owls home empty-handed.
Usual starters Brittney Reed and Suzanne Arafa (missing her third consecutive match) were out, forcing KSU head coach Rob King to reshuffle his lineup. Iyani Hughes made her first start of the season, and King was only comfortable using three substitutes from his shortened bench, despite the lengthy match.
Only four matches remain in the regular season for the Owls, who have perhaps the toughest weekend of the conference slate approaching: KSU will host second-place Stetson on Friday night, and then wrap up the 2013 home schedule with match against league-leading FGCU on Sunday afternoon.
