DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 21, 2018) – Powered by a game-high seven goals, 15 draw controls and seven ground balls from junior Hunter Isnardi (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville), the No. 11/12 Mercy College women's lacrosse team opened up their 2018 season with a 15-13 victory over Merrimack College on Wednesday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (1-0) have won six season openers in a row, while the Warriors (1-1) earn their first loss of the season.
Isnardi also added three caused turnovers and senior Grace Davidson (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) netted three goals. Sophomore Mary Mackie (Bellport, N.Y./Bellport) scored twice and senior Emily Jehle (Wading River, N.Y./Riverhead) recorded a goal and three assists. Sophomore Katherine Sanchez (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) and freshman Casey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) rounded out the scoring with a goal and an assist apiece. Senior Hope Coticchio (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) had a game-high four caused turnovers and junior Talia Stagnitta (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) finished with five ground balls, six draw controls and two caused turnovers. Freshman Emma Jacobsen (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) made eight saves to pick up the win in her first collegiate start.
Merrimack was led by Amber Feminella who had a team-high five goals. Tammy Nguyen made 13 saves to take the loss.
Mercy looked to get their season started on a high note, but Feminella would score two unanswered goals to begin the game to put Merrimack up 2-0. The Mavericks regrouped and followed with four straight goals to build a 4-2 lead. Isnardi started the rally with two straight of her own and Davidson and Jehle also got into the action.
The Warriors made it 4-3 with 18:12 left in the half after a Meghan Dzialo goal. Mercy quickly responded with a 3-0 spurt, led by goals from Sanchez, Davidson and Isnardi, to give the Mavericks a 7-3 lead with 13:48 left in the opening half. Merrimack would not go away and scored two straight goals to get within, 7-5. Davidson and Isnardi closed the half with goals to send Mercy into halftime up 9-5.
The second half saw the Warriors open the frame with the first two goals to once again cut the deficit to two, 9-7, with 24:43 remaining. Isnardi almost immediately came back with her fifth goal of the contest to make it a 10-7 game. Merrimack then scored two more unanswered goals to get within one, 10-9, with just over 20 minutes left. The Warriors would draw a free position attempt just under a minute later, but Jacobsen came up with a huge save to keep the Mavericks ahead. Shimborske came down and scored her first collegiate goal to give Mercy an 11-9 advantage.
Mackie then put another goal into the cage off an assist from Jehle that gave Mercy a three-goal lead, 12-9, leading to a Merrimack timeout with 18:05 left. The Mavericks build the lead back to four, 13-9, less than a minute later, but the Warriors continued to hang around and put two straight goals on the board to trim the Mercy advantage to two, 13-11, with 11:22 remaining.
Mackie and Isnardi put the lead back to four, 15-11, with 6:35 left and the Mavericks would hold on despite two more Merrimack goals.
Mercy held a 34-23 edge in shots, a 23-17 advantage in ground balls and a 22-6 edge in draw controls.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, February 24th when they host Saint Anselm College at 3 p.m.
