Bub, Znaniecki Score Twice Each as Women's Lacrosse Faces Philadelphia on Senior Day
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 19, 2014) – Seniors Kelsey Bub (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. / Walter Panas [Iona College]) and Kristen Znaniecki (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y. / Comsewogue) scored two goals each as the Mercy College women's lacrosse team was outdueled by the Rams of Philadelphia University, 15-11, on Saturday.
The eight seniors could not have scripted a better afternoon for their final home. A beautiful, sunny day on the banks of the Hudson River set a gorgeous backdrop to them to ride off into the sunset for their post-graduate careers.
The Rams came in looking to spoil the Senior Day festivities and continue their unbelievable ride of a season. Znaniecki did not want to go out like that and made it known early, scoring just two minutes in off an assist from junior Nicole Kline (Deer Park, N.Y. / Deer Park) to give Mercy an early 1-0 lead. The Rams responded by scoring two goals in a one-minute span to take a 2-1 lead.
Mercy tied the game up at 2-2 as graduate student Callie Schwichtenberg (San Diego, Calif. / Granite Hills) won the draw control and then hit junior Meg McNally (Hillburn, N.Y. / Suffern [Lock Haven Univ.]), who rifled the ball to Znaniecki for her second goal of the afternoon. The draw controls started to bounce the Mavericks' way as Bub notched her 27th goal of the season to take a 3-2 lead. Sophomore Nicole Augustine (Kingston, N.Y. / Kingston) increased the lead to 4-2 with 22:53 left in the half.
The Rams broke the run as they scored on a free position shot to cut the Maverick lead to 4-3 with 21:46 left. Mercy responded as Bub scored off the draw control to take a 5-3 lead. The Mavericks kept attacking as Rams goalie Kristen Moran made back-to-back saves before the ground ball was scooped up by junior Marissa Kluber (Wading River, N.Y. / Shoreham-Wading River), who dunked it in for the score and 6-3 lead at the 19:02 mark.
Moran continued to stop Mavericks shots and the Rams capitalized with three unanswered goals to tie the game up at 6-6 with 10:38 left in the first half. Philadelphia attempted to make it four straight, but the shot was turned away by freshman Jillian Rocco (Dix Hills, N.Y. / Half Hollow Hills East) and Kluber converted on her second free position shot for a 7-6 lead.
The Rams attack turned to six-footer Kristen Blye to respond, and she did, scoring two goals in a span of 30 seconds to regain the lead at 8-7. After Blye's second goal, Head Coach Dawn Anselmin sent freshman Shianne Judson (Bayshore, N.Y. / Bayshore) into goal. Judson impact was felt immediately as she made two quick saves, keeping the Rams from extending the lead any further.
Junior Michelle Tiernan (Farmingdale, N.Y. / Farmingdale) scored off an assist from Bub to again tie the game at 8-8 with just under three minutes left in the half. Philadelphia scored one more time before the break end to hold a 9-8 lead at the intermission.
In the second half, the Rams continued the trend from the first as they scored twice to stretch the lead out to 11-8 with 23:57 left in the game. The Mavericks would cut the deficit to one at 11-10 as junior Keri Watson (Massapequa Park, N.Y. / Massapequa) scored her sixth goal of the season on a free position shot and Tiernan scored off a draw control won by Kline.
Judson continued to rack up the saves as she turned back shot after shot, but a poorly timed yellow card allowed Philadelphia to score a man-up goal for a 12-10 lead. Another Rams goal came in the blink of an eye and they led 13-10.
Mercy attempted to make one last push, as Augustine scored at the 9:08 mark to cut the lead to 13-11. The Mavericks could not break the two-goal lead, though, as the Rams added two insurance goals late to win by four.
For Mercy, Kluber lead the Mavericks in multiple categories as she scored two goals, had six ground balls and caused three turnovers, while Schwichtenberg finished with three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Tiernan scored two goals, had two ground balls and won three draw controls, while Kline had an assist, a ground ball, a caused turnover and four draw controls. Judson made nine saves over the final 38:31.
Before the game, Coach Anselmin and assistant coach Jillian Maricondo honored the eight seniors for all their hard work and dedication to the program. Those seniors were Christine Feighan (Brewster, N.Y. / Brewster), Elizabeth Rjedkin (Howell, N.J. / Colts Neck), Tracey Wandle (Rocky Point, N.Y. / Rocky Point), Znaniecki, Bub, Paige Siegler (Bellmore, N.Y. / John F. Kennedy), Schwichtenberg and Maria Nardulli (Staten Island, N.Y. / St. Joseph by the Sea).
Coach Anselmin and the Mavericks return to action on Thursday, Apr. 24, as they travel to Worcester, Mass. to face the Greyhounds of Assumption College at 7:00 p.m.
