Ballin Scores First as Field Hockey Faces Dowling
Box Score SHIRLEY, N.Y. (Sept. 13, 2014) – Sophomore Jackie Ballin (Cupertino, Calif. / Cupertino) scored the first goal of the afternoon as the Mercy College field hockey team faced the Golden Lions of Dowling College on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Lions came away with the 2-1 victory to improve to 1-3, while the Mavericks fall to 0-2.
The Mavericks aggressively looked to score early, as they earned four penalty corners in the first nine minutes. This aggression paid off as Ballin scored at the 9:44 mark off a penalty corner taken by senior Danielle Jones (Shrewsbury, Mass. / Shrewsbury) to take the 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks kept attacking, but were turned away every time by Golden Lions keeper Ariana Ovadia. Ovadia would make 11 saves facing 12 shots taken by the Mavericks.
Dowling knotted the game at 1-1, scoring in the final three minutes of the first half. The game remained tied at the break.
Freshman Olivia Kelly (West Islip, N.Y. / West Islip) did her best to keep Dowling from taking the lead, as she made all seven of her saves in the second half. The Golden Lions kept taking shots, however, and as Kelly made back-to-back saves on Jillian Barbieri and Martina Tinnirello, Dowling eventually put one in on a penalty stroke shot at 58:17 for a 2-1 lead. The penalty stroke goal proved to be the difference as the Golden Lions held on for the win.
For Mercy, Ballin took a career-high 10 shots, including six shots on goal. Senior Kelsey Bub (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. /Iona College) and junior Maggie Gardner (Mohawk, N.Y. / Mohawk) both took two shots on goal, while Jones and sophomore Emily Michaels (Patchogue, N.Y. / Patchogue-Medford) both took one shot apiece.
Head Coach Kayte Kinsley and the Mavericks return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 17, as they host the Greyhounds of Assumption College at 4:00 p.m.
