Women's Lacrosse Returns to the Bay State to Face Assumption
Box Score WORCESTER, Mass. (Apr. 24, 2014) – With Senior Day in the rearview mirror, the Mercy College women's lacrosse team hits the road and makes its second return to the Bay State of the Greyhounds of Assumption College on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
The Mavericks are looking to pick up their seventh overall win of the season after a solid showing against the Rams of Philadelphia University last Saturday. The Greyhounds come into Thursday's game looking to go out on a high note for a season as they are currently riding a four-game losing streak heading into Thursday's contest.
This is the fourth all-time meeting between the Mavericks and the Greyhounds. Assumption leads the all-time series, 2-1. The Mavericks have had good success against the Greyhounds in Worcester as they took their lone victory of the series on Apr. 26, 2012. In that game then-junior Marissa Hurley scored five goals and had one assist, while Jamie McPartland recorded a hat trick. Then-sophomore Kristen Znaniecki (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) and Kelsey Bub (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas [Iona College]) combined for five goals and three assists. Junior goalkeeper Stephanie DiLegge made 23 saves on 34 shots. Last season, Bub scored three goals and assisted on another as the Greyhounds scored with just nine seconds left to steal one in Dobbs Ferry.
Last time out, the Mavericks lost to the Rams of Philadelphia University on 15-11 on Senior Day. Mercy had a balanced scoring effort as five different Mavericks players scored two goals apiece. The game remained tight, but late goals and a scoring drought by Mercy gave the Rams the victory.
The Greyhounds close out 2014 against the Mavericks on Thursday as they have posted an 8-7 overall record and a 6-6 mark in the Northeast-10. Assumption was picked to finished ninth in the Preseason Conference Poll, and they have held true to form as they currently sit in the middle of the pick in the NE-10. Assumption has lost its last four games to conference opponents by a double-digit margin in three out of the four games.
The Greyhounds and Mavericks seem, on paper, to be a mirror image of each other. Both teams have been very close both overall and in conference, and have defeated weaker teams while falling to stronger competition over the course of the season. At one point in early March, the Greyhounds boasted undefeated conference and overall records with early-season wins against Queens College, Merrimack College, AIC and an 11-6 Mar. 7 victory over Molloy College in Rockville Centre.
Junior Amy McNeil leads the Greyhounds attack; the Second Team All-NE-10 selection a year ago currently leads the squad with 38 goals and 52 points. Senior Lindsay Hagerman is the Greyhounds' other option on attack, as she has totaled 42 points on 22 goals and 20 assists while adding 19 ground balls. Junior Camille Auger has totaled 20 goals and nine assists for 29 points, while freshman Quincy Wilkins has fit into the attack nicely during her freshman season with 12 goals and nine points, totaling 21 points.
Senior Kathryn Beall is the leader in the midfielder, putting up high numbers in multiple categories. She has totaled 20 points on 17 goals and three assists, while adding 35 draw controls, 25 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers. Freshman Tori Russo makes the future bright for the younger pack of Greyhounds. She has totaled 17 points on 14 goals and three assists. Sophomore Julianna Molloy joins Russo in the crop of younger Greyhounds already making an impact in 2014. She has totaled nine goals, 16 ground balls and nine draw controls. Senior Mary Guinee is Assumption's draw control specialist, as she leads the team with 51 draw controls on the season.
On defense, a trio of juniors in Rebecca Cann, Allison Tivnan and Kourtine Wilder control the cease. The trio has combined for 54 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers. Cann currently leads in the team in caused turnovers while Tivnan, an All-NE-10 Second Team selection in 2013, currently ranks second on the team in ground balls. All-NE-10 Rookie Team selection Meghan Curtin joins the conversation, as she has totaled 15 ground balls, 11 draw controls and four caused turnovers.
In goal, senior Michelle Monahan had started all 17 games in 2013, but was replaced by incoming freshman Jaclyn Chirco. Chirco has started all 15 games, logged 825:38 minutes, made 113 saves for a .433 save percentage. Chirco has allowed 148 goals for a 10.76 goals against average. She has also put in work by leading the team in ground balls, with 31, and ranking third on the team in caused turnovers, with 10.
Follow Head Coach Dawn Anselmin and her Mavericks as they look to get their second victory in the Bay State this season when they travel to Worcester, Mass. to face the Greyhounds of Assumption College on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
