DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 19, 2021) – The No. 6 seed Mercy College women's soccer team plays at No. 2 seed Molloy College in an NCAA Tournament Second Round matchup on Saturday, November 20th at 3 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, November 20th 3 p.m.
Records: No. 6 Mercy (11-4-4), No. 2 Molloy (18-2)
Location: Rockville Centre, N.Y. (RVC Athletic Complex)
Ticket Information
Tickets are available for purchase via the HomeTown Ticketing application, available on both the Apple and Google Play stores. They can also be purchased directly at molloylions.com/tickets. No cash sales will be available. Tickets are single admission. Those looking to attend both games on Thursday will need to purchase tickets to each individually. All tickets will be scanned at the entrance to John A. Darcy Field.
Prices
General Admission: $10
Visiting Students with Valid ID: $5
Seniors: $5
Children under 5: Free
Last Meeting vs. Molloy
Molloy earned a 1-0 double-overtime win over Mercy in the ECC Championship Final on Sunday, November 14th.
Scouting the Mavericks
The Mavericks are coming off a 1-0 win over No. 3 seed Southern N.H. in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. Sophomore Marlene Avalos scored the game-winning goal in the 21st minute on a penalty kick and senior Melissa Torres made six saves to lead Mercy to the win. Mercy is making their sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history and fourth straight appearance. The Mavericks made their deepest run in the tournament in 2017 when they advanced to the Final Four for the first time in school history. Mercy has advanced to the Second Round for the second straight year and for the third time in the last four years. The Mavericks are facing Molloy in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever. Mercy has dropped a pair of close 1-0 decisions at Molloy so far this season. Saturday's game will be the third matchup of the season at Molloy between the two teams. Mercy has advanced to the Third Round twice in program history (2014 & 2017). First Team All-ECC selection graduate student Nikki Bermudez has a team-high-tying 12 points on a team-high five goals with two assists and has been named to the ECC Honor Roll four times. Senior Claudia McKail also has a team-high-tying 12 points by way of five goals and two assists. McKail was tabbed to the ECC Honor Roll on October 4th after scoring the game-winning goal against Bridgeport on September 29th. Junior Dominique Bono is tied for third on the team with eight points on four goals. She was named to the ECC Honor Roll once. Sophomore Madison Rosa is second in the ECC with six assists and has eight points on the year. Junior Carli LoNigro has six points on the year on three goals and was named to the ECC Honor Roll on October 25th. Sophomore Kayla Camacho has 10 points on four goals and two assists and was named to the ECC Honor Roll last Monday. Junior Alexa Billingham has five points on two goals and one assist and First Team All-ECC performer sophomore Skyler Schwenkler has two goals. ECC Defensive Player of the Year senior Sydney Cooper and senior Jessica Hoyt both have a goal and two assists on the year. Cooper was named to the ECC Honor Roll on September 13th after scoring the game-tying goal against Adelphi on September 9th. Second Team All-ECC performer senior Melissa Torres is 10-3-4 in goal with 49 saves, eight shutouts and a .845 save percentage. Torres was a two-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week this season. She is second in the ECC with a 0.51 goals against average and set a school record with her 25th career shutout against Bridgeport on September 29th. Senior Veronica Scruggs is 1-1 in goal with four saves and one shutout in two starts.
The Mavericks went 13-3-4 in 2019 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. Mercy has made six NCAA Tournament appearances since 2013 and has made the ECC Tournament in eight straight seasons. The Mavericks were picked first in the ECC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Third-year Head Coach Danny Leon Jr. has 10 returners from the 2019 team and has 13 student-athletes who will see their first game action as Mavericks during the 2021 season. Leading the returners is Cooper who was named Third Team All-Region and First Team All-ECC in 2019 after recording four goals and two assists. Torres returns in goal after receiving Second Team All-Region and ECC Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 2019. Senior Fernanda Castro also returns after taking home First Team All-Region and First Team All-ECC accolades in 2019. Also returning from the 2019 team are seniors Veronica Scruggs, Hoyt, McKail and Juliana Conforti and juniors Carli LoNigro, Tyra Anderson and Billingham. Seeing their first game action as Mavericks after practicing with the team last year are Rosa, Camacho, Marlene Avalos, Schwenkler, Jennifer Silva, Toni Valadez, Alisa Jensen and Genesis Vargas. Making up the freshmen class are Kayla Saavedra, Stacy Avendano and Elizabeth Bowles. Leon Jr. also adds two transfers in Bermudez and Bono from New York Tech. Bermudez was named Second Team All-ECC and First Team All-ECAC in 2019 at New York Tech.
Scouting the Lions
Molloy is coming off a 2-1 win over No. 7 seed Bridgeport in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The Lions won the ECC Regular Season and Tournament Championships and are currently ranked No. 16 nationally. Molloy is looking to advance to the Third Round for the second straight year. The Lions are currently on an 11-game winning streak and are 10-1 at home this year. The Lions have allowed just nine goals in their 20 games and have scored 57 goals. Seniors Dana Poetzsch and Jackie Carty were tabbed ECC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year. Poetzsch leads the ECC in goals (14) and points (33) and was named First Team All-ECC. Junior Lexi Verni was named ECC Offensive Player of the Year and is second in the ECC in goals (12) and points (27) with five game-winning goals. First Team All-ECC honoree Annie Coogan has four goals and five assists and junior Joanna Graca has an ECC-best seven assists. Sophomore Sarah Tappeto was named First Team All-ECC, has three goals and four assists and freshman Nicole Fabris has five goals and one assist. Carty was named ECC Goalkeeper of the Year and is 16-2 in goal with 59 saves, a .868 save percentage and 11 shutouts.
