Williams Scores Game-Winning Goal and Amell Makes Nine Saves to Give Field Hockey a 1-0 Victory Over St. Thomas Aquinas
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 27, 2016) – Led by a game-winning goal from sophomore Alicia Williams (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem North) and nine saves from sophomore goalkeeper Julia Amell (Greene, N.Y./Greene), the Mercy College field hockey team earned a 1-0 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas on Tuesday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (2-5) snap a four-game losing streak with the win, while the Spartans (1-9) have dropped four in a row.
Williams scored her second goal of the season, while senior Olivia Anderson (Port Washington, N.Y./Paul D. Schreiber) contributed her first assist of the season. Sophomore Angela Robbins (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) led the Mavericks with two shots on goal, while Amell posted her second shutout of the season.
St. Thomas Aquinas was led by Carley Davin who had a game high three shots on goal, while goalkeeper Jessica Stewart made three saves in a losing effort.
After a scoreless opening seven minutes, Williams gave the Mavericks a 1-0 lead when she took a cross from Anderson and fired it high above the goalkeeper's shoulder to get Mercy on the board.
The Spartans responded by going on the offensive, but Amell was up to the challenge as she made three saves in the opening period. The Mavericks looked to add on to their lead in the 28th minute, but a pair of Robbins shots were stopped by Stewart to keep the score at 1-0.
The score remained 1-0 heading into halftime as St. Thomas Aquinas held a 4-3 edge in shots and a 9-2 advantage in penalty corners.
Mercy came out of halftime with the first shot on goal as senior Vanessa Soler (Port Monmouth, N.J./Middletown North) fired a shot that was stopped by Stewart in the 40th minute. The Spartans responded by controlling possession of the ball in the Mavericks end for most of the remainder of the contest, but Amell made six saves in the half to keep St. Thomas Aquinas off the board.
Amell's biggest save would come off a penalty corner with no time on the clock that helped seal the victory for the Mavericks. The Spartans ended the contest with a 13-6 edge in shots and a 22-8 advantage in penalty corners.
Head Coach Deirdre O'Neill and the Mavericks look to make it two in a row when they play at Southern New Hampshire on Friday, September 30th at 3 p.m.
