MACON, Ga. – The West Georgia Wolves went toe-to-toe with Mercer on Sunday night in Macon, falling 1-0 in the first-ever meeting between the two programs at Betts Stadium in front of a crowd of 262 fans.

From the opening whistle, the Wolves (0-4-0) showed fight, holding Mercer (1-1-0) scoreless through the first half despite the Bears firing off 13 shots. In her second straight start, goalkeeper Emily Sanabria anchored the defense with two big saves before halftime, while the back line of Kaylen Brown, Aleyshka Orellano, and Honora Kahwach kept Mercer from finding a rhythm.

UWG generated chances of its own, with Campbell Taylor and Kenna Kay testing the defense in the first half. The Wolves nearly scored in the second half, as Orellano's free kick barely bounced off the post. 

The breakthrough for Mercer came in the 76th minute, when Maria Karipidis converted a cross for the eventual game-winner. However, UWG refused to fade, the Wolves pushed forward with three late shots at an attempt to level the score. 

In the end, the Wolves were outshot 29-9 but never backed down, showing toughness in a physical battle that featured 23 total fouls. Sanabria was outstanding in net, recording nine saves, while Taylor led the Wolves with four shots.

Despite the result, UWG left its mark in Macon, battling until the final whistle in a historic battle with the Bears. The Wolves now turn their attention to the next challenge, a road trip to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to face Middle Tennessee State. The matchup will take place on Sunday, August 31, at 3 p.m. at Dean A. Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium, the final stop in their four-game road swing.

Follow the Pack to Tennessee: Fans can watch the Wolves take on the Blue Raiders via live stream on ESPN+ and follow along with live stats linked at the top of the page.