Wildcat W. Soccer Breaks Out of Offensive Woes in 3-1 Win

Sunday, September 16

Davidson, N.C.

2 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

2-3-0

Mercer

2-3-1

Mercer

Davidson

Amanda Flink was one of three 'Cats to score on the afternoon.

Wildcat W. Soccer Breaks Out of Offensive Woes in 3-1 Win

9/16/2007 4:40:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

DAVIDSON, N.C. –– Freshman Amanda Flink (Richardson, Texas) scored her first collegiate goal in helping the Davidson Wildcats break out of an offensive slump on their way to a 3-1 home victory over the Mercer Bears on Sunday afternoon in women's soccer action. Davidson snapped its two-game losing streak to improve to 2-3-0 on the season, while the Bears saw its record drop to 2-3-1.

The Wildcats also halted a two-game scoreless streak in netting a season-high three goals. They had been held scoreless in their two previous contests against Air Force and Colorado College.

Davidson wasted no time in getting on the board first thanks to the shifty moves of sophomore Kyri Bye-Nagel (Hanau, Germany) at the 7:53 mark. After the ball was passed around a few times near the Bears' 18-yard box, Bye-Nagel received it at the top of the box. She made a move to her right and drove pass a Mercer defender on the right side of the box, firing in a shot to the far side of the goal for her second score of the season and a 1-0 advantage for the Wildcats.

But, just six minutes later, Mercer's Catie Marshalek brought her team back to an even 1-1 tie with Davidson. Mercer's Courtney Maxey set the goal up when she drove the ball along the right sideline and sent a perfect cross into Davidson's goalie box. Marshalek was right there in the center of the box to strike the ball in with a header to the left side past a diving Bevin English (Charleston, S.C.) to tie things up at one-all.

From there, the score remained tied until Davidson finally broke through at the 61:27 mark in the second half. Sophomore Lauren Conner (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), who kicked in the game-winner two weeks ago at home against High Point, gave the Wildcats the lead for good on a nice rebound shot. Senior captain Kristen Koehrn (La Mesa, Calif.) fired a shot from the top of the 18-yard box that hit the top of the cross bar and went straight down. The ball bounced away from the Bear keeper when Conner slipped in behind the defense to gather in the loose ball. She then chipped it in to the left side for her second goal of the season.

Until Conner scored, Davidson had just two shots through the first 60 minutes of the contest as Mercer controlled the ball most of that time, picking up nine shots in the process.

Flink gave Davidson its finally tally of the afternoon at the 70:03 mark. The freshman retrieved a loose corner kick and drove a left-footed strike on her first touch through traffic in the box for her first-career collegiate goal and a 3-1 Wildcat win.

Mercer held a slim 12-11 advantage in shots as four players picked up two shots each for the Bears.

English registered eight saves between the posts for Davidson, her fifth straight game with five or more, while Mercer's Worts came up with a single save.

The Wildcats hit the road for their only in-season tournament when they head to the College of Charleston tournament on Sept. 21 & 23. Davidson will face Vanderbilt on Friday at 5 p.m. and then take on LSU, Sunday, at 12 noon.

Scoring Summary
7:53     DAV   Kyri Bye-Nagel (unassisted)
13:47   MU    Catie Marshalek (Courtney Maxey)
61:27   DAV   Lauren Conner (Kristen Koehrn)
70:03   DAV   Amanda Flink (unassisted)

Notes: Davidson earned the program's first win in the all-time series against Mercer, improving to 1-4 ... Koehrn and Suzanne Sittko each tallied two shots apiece to pace the Wildcats ... the three goals on the day were the most since the 'Cats hit four goals in a 4-1 win against Chattanooga last year ... for the second straight year, Davidson opens the season 2-0 at Alumni Stadium.