DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 20, 2020) – The Mercy College women's lacrosse team enters the 2020 season looking to defend their ECC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Mercy looks to make the ECC Tournament for the fifth straight year and are ranked No. 10 in the IWLCA Coaches Poll entering their first game of the season on Friday at Southern New Hampshire.
Eighth-year Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks graduated Division II's all-time leading goal scorer and All-American Hunter Isnardi. However, Mercy returns three student-athletes who recorded 50 or more points in 2019. Mercy was picked to finish first in the ECC Preseason Poll for the first time in program history. Sachs returns five All-ECC performers from last season, including two All-Region selections in senior Katherine Sanchez and sophomore Micayla Brady. The Mavericks will look to the leadership of captains Mary Mackie, Senna Tadfie, Talia Stagnitta and Casey Shimborske to help lead the Mavericks back to the ECC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.
"Our 2020 schedule is packed with tough conference and non-conference opponents that will keep us on our toes all year. The keys to our success will be consistency, energy and effort every day at practice. We return a lot of talent and look to those players to continue to grow and thrive for us here at Mercy," stated Sachs.
Mercy once again will face a challenging schedule taking on No. 2 West Chester, No. 3 Le Moyne, No. 8 Florida Southern, No. 17 Bentley, No. 22 New York Tech and No. 25 Indiana (Pa.).
Defense
The Mavericks will look to Stagnitta to lead the defense after missing most of last season due to injury. The 2019 ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year appeared in five games and was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week once after posting 18 ground balls, 18 draw controls and 13 caused turnovers. In 2018, she was named IWLCA First Team All-American, First Team All-Region, ECC Defender of the Year and First Team All-ECC. During 2018 she had 50 ground balls, 61 draw controls and 33 caused turnovers, ranking second in the ECC in caused turnovers.
Also returning on defense is Brady who was named IWLCA Second Team All-Region and First Team All-ECC after starting all 20 games last season. She posted 41 ground balls, 30 caused turnovers and ten points, ranking seventh in the ECC in ground balls and fifth in caused turnovers.
Tadfie also returns on defense after being named Second Team All-ECC last year. She started all 20 games and had 23 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers. Sophomore Juliana Keenan returns after starting all 20 games as a freshman. She posted seven goals, five assists and 22 caused turnovers, ranking third on the team in caused turnovers. Sophomore Alexandra Bigilin also looks to see significant time after starting 16 games last season with 27 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. Sophomore Hunter Savino will be a key defensive player at the crease this season.
Looking to compete for time are junior Gianna Maffei and freshmen Gianna Mott and Grace Erny.
Junior Emma Jacobsen and sophomore Madeline Garvalosa both return in goal. Jacobsen went 15-5 last season with 128 saves and a 9.56 goals against average. Garvalosa appeared in six games and made eight saves in 120:59 minutes of work.
Midfield
Leading the returners in the midfield is Casey Shimborske who was named Second Team All-ECC last season after starting all 20 games. She finished the season with 29 goals, 21 assists, 50 points, 31 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers, ranking fourth on the team in goals and points and second in assists.
Senior Brittani Sergio returns in 2020 after appearing in 18 games last season. She netted 15 goals, four assists and 19 points a year ago. Junior Kellie Znaniecki returns for the Mavericks after playing in 19 games last year. She finished the season with two goals, two assists, 15 ground balls, 12 draw controls and ten caused turnovers. Sophomore Katie Jelliffe also looks to see playing time after playing 14 games last season with four goals.
Freshman Erin Shimborske joins the team after transferring from Adelphi and will look to compete for time immediately.
Attack
Sanchez leads the returners at attack for the Mavericks. She was named First Team All-ECC and Second Team All-Region after starting all 20 games with 58 goals, nine assists, 67 points and 26 draw controls. She ranked second on the team in goals, points and draw controls.
Junior Briana Corace is back after being named Second Team All-ECC last season. She started all 20 games as a sophomore and ended the season with 37 goals, 15 assists and 52 points. She ranked third on the team in goals, points and assists.
Senior Mary Mackie looked to play a key role on the attack but suffered a season-ending injury in preseason. Sophomore Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk returns after a freshman season that saw her produce eight goals, 11 assists and 19 points. Sophomores Kerri Cummings, Erin Chalich, Taylor Bishop and Kayla Reese also return and will look to standout in their sophomore seasons.
Freshmen Jackie Bauer, Sydney Corley and Sierra Gaskill will look to compete for time during their rookie campaigns.
