Monday, October 13, 2008

MACON, Ga. - Stetson's Tessa Gavilisky netted three goals this weekend to earn her second Women's Soccer Player of the Week award. Mercer goalkeeper Jean Worts netted her second shutout of the season in Mercer's grasp for first place to pick up Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.

Sophomore forward Gavilsky guided the Hatters to a 1-1 weekend in conference play, netting two goals against Jacksonville and the lone Stetson goal against UNF. The Granite City, Ill., native picked up a total of 10 shots, eight of which were on goal. She took over the lead in points with 22 and is scored for goals with nine.

The junior business major Worts recorded her tenth-career shutout against Belmont. She did her job in two vital games for Mercer, backstopping the team to two shutout victories against Lipscomb and Belmont. The Plantation, Fla., native played a big role in helping the Bears to a 1-0 victory over the Bruins. She finished the match with three saves and more importantly, a shutout in a critical game between the conference’s two top teams. Worts has lowered her conference best GAA to a microscopic 0.59. She has been excellent between the pipes all year for Mercer and helped the Bears to an A-Sun best seven shutouts this season. Worts has not allowed more than two goals in a single match since the season’s opening contest against SEC-power Georgia.

Mercer returns to Macon next week to close out their home schedule with matches against USC Upstate on Friday and against ETSU on Sunday. Next up for Stetson will be a home game against Belmont on Friday and on Sunday the women will complete their home schedule against Lipscomb.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Weekly Notes
Stetson: Stetson went 1-1 over the weekend in A-Sun play with a 5-1 win over JU and a 2-1 loss at UNF in overtime. The five goals versus Jacksonville were the teams highest offensive output since a 5-0 win over Lipscomb in 2006. Senior Bethany Kiedis scored a goal and delivered an assist vs. JU. She is one of the few Hatters that remain from when JU defeated Stetson in the (A-Sun) Tournament Final in 2006. Sophomore Tessa Gavilsky scored a pair including the game-winning goal against Jacksonville and scored Stetson's lone goal at North Florida. In the two games she picked up total of 10 shots, 8 of which were on goal. With three goals on the weekend she took over the A-Sun lead in points with 22 and is now tied for lead in goals with nine.