MACON, Ga. – In a game that stretched across two days due to inclement weather on Wednesday night, Gardner-Webb (5-6, 1-2) returned to the field to wrap up play on Thursday morning in Macon, Ga., ultimately dropping its Big South road contest to Mercer (7-3, 3-0) by a final score of 21-13.
 
After a goal by Jada Preston made it a four-goal game early in the third quarter, a lengthy lightning delay ensued on Wednesday night with the scoreboard reading 12-8. When the two teams returned to the field on Thursday morning for the final 24:24 of the second half, Mercer eventually went out to outscore the Runnin' Bulldogs by a 9-5 edge en route to victory.
 
Gardner-Webb was led by a career-high four goals on five shots from Bria Foley, as the freshman recorded a hat trick in the first half alone in which she capped off by beating the horn for a score with two seconds remaining in the frame.
 
Eilish Gately and Aimie Perino also joined Foley with standout offensive performances as the duo posted three goals and one assist apiece for the Runnin' Bulldogs, who as a team had a total of five players find the back of the cage. Preston added two goals, and Brittany Sherrod another, while Lauren Deaver also registered a point with an assist to Gately on the final score of the game.
 
Gardner-Webb fell into a quick 4-0 deficit early in the first quarter on Wednesday, but a find from Perino to a slashing Sherrod put GWU on the board for the first time with 6:12 remaining in the opening 15. The two sides then began to alternate goals well into the second quarter, with the 'Dogs receiving an unassisted score from Perino followed by a pair from Foley as Mercer's lead shrunk to three, 7-4.
 
Quickly countering the GWU press, however, the Bears struck for three-straight in a span of just 1:23 to re-open their advantage to six, 10-4. Gately and Perino were able to add consecutive goals in retaliation, scores that were again countered by back-to-back goals from Mercer, but Foley's goal in the waning moments of the half helped the 'Dogs close the gap to five, 12-7, at the break.
 
While Preston's goal out of the half pulled Gardner-Webb to within four, the momentum was ultimately stalled by the weather delay, to which Mercer took advantage. As the game picked back up on Thursday morning, Mercer rattled off six of the first seven goals of the day, ultimately pulling away by as many as 10 before the Runnin' Bulldogs closed with three of the final four scores, including two from Gately to cap off her hat trick and a third from Perino to do the same.
 
A strong Mercer offense posted 41 shots in the game's entirety, putting 32 of those on goal with Danielle Burke managing to turn away a total of 11 tries. The Runnin' Bulldog defense came away with nine caused turnovers, led by a career-high three from Victoria Fischetti, who also grabbed two ground balls.
 
Gardner-Webb will now return home looking for a win to pull back to .500 when the Runnin' Bulldogs welcome Wofford to Spangler Stadium on Saturday afternoon, April 9. First draw is slated for 1 p.m. in Boiling Springs.