Lady Bearcats Defeat Lady Titans 2-0 In The Rain
Junior Baylee Sims won a header in midfield during Mercer’s 2-0 loss to Anderson County on Monday, Sept. 23.
Samuel Warren
Herald Staff
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The Mercer County Lady Titans (7-7) put an end to a seven game winless streak with a 3-1 away victory over Franklin County on Saturday, Sept. 21, and returned to Harrodsburg the following Monday, Sept. 23, to face a Anderson County Lady Bearcats squad (8-7) that had won two of their last three games.
Anderson County dominated possession in the first half, and Mercer’s three shots at goal each came from long through balls forward to Laykin Irvin or Kiley Waldridge. The Lady Titans defense held the Lady Bearcats out for 33 minutes until sophomore Kaelyn Peach rocketed a shot off of Skylar Webb’s fingertips and off the bottom of the crossbar.
“They won more of the 50-50 balls, the dirty stuff, and also I felt like Anderson still tried to play more possession, and our girls, we just didn’t pressure hard enough or fast enough. We gave them too much time to turn, face our goal and be able to play the passes they wanted to play. The pressure has to be quicker to force turnovers,” said Head Coach Josh Culver on why the Lady Bearcats won the possession battle.
Irvin had a good chance moments later, but finished just over the bar, and Mercer trailed 1-0 at the half.
The incessant rain started to show in both teams’ play upon returning from a shortened halftime. The match was a constant battle for possession in the middle third of the pitch and both teams struggled to put a string of passes together. Baylee Sims’ passes forward to Kylie Mobley and Irvin were always a bit too much or too little. Anderson County struggled with possession and creating chances too, and each time they sent a through ball into dangerous territory, Webb was there to clear it or pick it up.
Lady Bearcat center back Alayna Williams challenged Irvin for a header, and from behind, hit her in the side of the face. Irvin was down for a while, and the official stopped play to talk with Williams, but gave no card. Irvin was clearly in pain and left the field.
