Isnardi Scores Game-High Eight Goals as Women's Lacrosse Earns Impressive 18-4 Victory Over Merrimack
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 5, 2016) – Powered by a game-high eight goals from freshman Hunter Isnardi (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville), the Mercy College women's lacrosse improve to 2-0 on the year with an impressive, 18-4, victory over Merrimack College on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (2-0) start 2-0 for the first time since the 2013 season, while the Warriors (1-1) fail to build off their win against Roberts Wesleyan on Sunday.
Isnardi also added an assist and a game-high eight draw controls, while sophomore Emily Jehle (Wading River, N.Y./Riverhead) added a career-high seven points on two goals and five assists. Sophomore Grace Davidson (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) ended the day with three goals and three assists and junior Tori DiFusco (Mahopac, N.Y./SUNY Cortland) chipped in three goals. Senior Meg McNally (Hillburn, N.Y./Lock Haven Univ.) and freshman Kela Gelling (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) rounded out the Mavericks who scored. Senior Nicole Kline (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) added two assists and sophomore Hope Coticchio (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) finished with an assist and two caused turnovers. McNally had a game-high four caused turnovers and junior Melissa DellaRocca (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) added three caused turnovers. Junior Jillian Rocco (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) made the start in net and went the first half to pick up the win and improve to 2-0. Junior Shianne Judson (Bayshore, N.Y./Bayshore) finished off the game in the second half with two saves.
Merrimack was paced by Amber Feminella who had a team-high three goals. Goalie Alexa Petzold played the first half and made six saves in a losing effort.
The Mavericks, who came off an impressive win in their season opener last Saturday, picked up right where they left off as they led from start-to-finish and dominated the Warriors.
Mercy wasted little time in getting on the board as McNally broke through for her fifth goal of the year less than a minute in to put the Mavericks up 1-0. Less than two minutes later DiFusco netted her fourth of the season on a free position shot to give Mercy a 2-0 lead at the 27:45 mark.
Jehle added her first two goals of the season just over four minutes later to make it 4-0, forcing a Warriors timeout at the 23:13 mark. Merrimack got on the board with 17:09 remaining in the half as Feminella tallied her first of the day, but Isnardi answered with her first of the day to make it 5-1 with 15:19 left in the half.
Davidson and Isnardi followed with a pair to bump the Mercy lead up to 7-1 with 11:39 left in the first half. The Warriors answered with two in a row to make it 7-3 and looked to be making a run. However, the Mavericks closed the half with four straight goals as Isnardi recorded three and DiFusco added another to make it 11-3 in favor of Mercy heading to halftime.
Isnardi led off the scoring in the second half at the 28:37 mark off a feed from Kline for her sixth of the day to make it 12-3. DiFusco and Davidson followed with a pair of man-up goals to increase the Mavericks lead to double figures at 14-3 with 22:47 remaining.
Isnardi and Feminella traded goals to make it 15-4 with 14:18 left before goals from Davidson and the final one of the day from Isnardi increased the lead to 17-4 with 6:52 on the clock. Mercy concluded its scoring at the 2:36 mark as Gelling picked up her first collegiate goal on a free position attempt.
Mercy held a 33-6 edge in shots and an 18-6 advantage in draw controls. The Mavericks ended the contest with a 15-6 edge in groundballs and forced 21 Merrimack turnovers.
Head Coach Dawn Anselmin and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, March 9th at 3 p.m. hosting Dominican College.
