DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 27, 2019) – Powered by a game-high four goals from junior Katherine Sanchez (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport), the No. 10/12 Mercy College women's lacrosse team earned a 12-8 victory over No. 20 University of New Haven on Wednesday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (3-0) start 3-0 for the fourth straight year and defeat the Chargers (0-1) for the first time in program history.
Sanchez also added an assist and five ground balls and senior Hunter Isnardi (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) had three goals, an assist, five ground balls, five draw controls and two caused turnovers. Sophomore Casey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) finished with two goals and an assist and senior Erin Dingman (Watertown, N.Y./Onondaga CC) netted two goals and two caused turnovers. Senior Talia Stagnitta (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) also scored and had four ground balls, six draw controls and three caused turnovers, including her 100th career caused turnover. Sophomore Briana Corace (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) dished out two assists and freshman Juliana Keenan (Bethpage, N.Y./Plainedge) had a team-high four caused turnovers along with three ground balls. Sophomore Emma Jacobsen (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) made nine saves to earn the win.
New Haven was led by Mackenzie Reh who had two goals and three assists. Gianna Guerra made 18 saves to take the loss.
The game remained scoreless for nearly six minutes until Isnardi scored at the 24:36 mark to put Mercy up 1-0. Reh answered for New Haven just over a minute later to tie the game up at 1-1. Sanchez followed with two straight goals to give the Mavericks a 3-1 lead with 16:27 left in the first half.
Shimborske made it 4-1 on a free position shot with 12:14 remaining in the half before Kendra Nolan scored for the Chargers to make it 4-2. Sanchez tallied her third goal of the half at the 10:30 mark on a free position shot to give Mercy a 5-2 lead with ten minutes left before halftime.
New Haven made it 5-3 on a Grace Loeffler goal before Stagnitta, Isnardi and Sanchez ended the half with three straight goals to give Mercy an 8-3 lead at halftime.
The Chargers opened the scoring in the second half to bring the score to 8-4, but Shimborske came back with her second goal of the game to make it 9-4 with 28 minutes left. New Haven ensued with two straight goals to cut the deficit to three, 9-6, at the 23:43 mark. Dingman and Nolan traded goals to make it 10-7 with 21 minutes left to play, but Isnardi put the lead back to four, 11-7, with her final goal of the day at the 19:37 mark.
Reh tallied her second goal of the game to make it 11-8, but Dingman increased the lead back to four, 12-8, with her second of the day at the 8:40 mark. Neither team would score in the final 8:40 minutes of action, giving Mercy the win in their home opener.
Mercy held a 41-22 edge in shots, a 26-16 edge in ground balls and the teams were tied in draw controls at 11-11.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, March 2nd when they host Southern N.H. at 11 a.m.
