DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (May 6, 2021) – Powered by a career-high-tying five goals from junior Taylor Bishop (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) and a career-high nine caused turnovers and 11 ground balls from junior Micayla Brady (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa), the No. 1 seeded Mercy College women's lacrosse team earned a 20-8 win over No. 4 seeded St. Thomas Aquinas College in an ECC Championship Semifinal matchup on Thursday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (12-1) advance to their fourth straight ECC Championship game and will face the winner of Roberts Wesleyan/Molloy on Saturday, May 8th at 11 a.m. at Mercy Field. Mercy also extends their winning streak to a program-record 10 games and defeats the Spartans (4-5) for the third time this season.
Bishop also added an assist and one draw control. Brady had a game-high 11 ground balls and nine caused turnovers and senior Briana Corace (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) had three goals and one assist. Junior Erin Chalich (Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham) had two goals and two assists and graduate student Mary Mackie (Bellport, N.Y./Bellport) had two goals and one assist. Juniors Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) and Juliana Keenan (Bethpage, N.Y./Plainedge) and sophomore Sydney Corley (Coram, N.Y./Newfield) all scored twice. Junior Kerri Cummings (Islip, N.Y./Islip) had a goal and an assist and freshman Christina Lopreato (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) also scored. Freshman Ally Schreck (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) had two assists and freshman Kelly Rosenfeld (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) and sophomore Erin Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Adelphi University) also dished out an assist. Senior Kellie Znaniecki (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) had a game-high 10 draw controls and senior Emma Jacobsen (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) made two saves in the first half to earn the win. Junior Madeline Garvalosa (Seaford, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and freshman Olivia Maute (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) combined to make three saves in the second half.
STAC was led by Danielle Cajou who had a game-high-tying five goals. Laura Delorenzo made 10 saves to take the loss.
Mercy scored the game's first three goals to take a 3-0 lead at the 27:04 mark of the first half. Grzelaczyk scored the first goal and Bishop netted her first two goals to give Mercy the early lead. The Spartans battled back with three straight goals to tie the game at 3-3 with 10:45 remaining in the first half.
The Mavericks regrouped and scored the next five goals to take an 8-3 lead with 4:07 on the clock. Corley, Chalich, Lopreato, Keenan and Corace all found the back of the net. A Leanna Iobbi goal made it 8-4, but Corace and Mackie closed out the scoring in the half to put Mercy up 10-4 at halftime.
Mercy opened the second half with three straight goals to take a 13-4 lead at the 20:39 mark. Bishop started the scoring in the half and Keenan and Grzelaczyk followed with their second goals of the day.
After STAC made it 13-5, Corley scored another and Bishop added back-to-back goals, giving Mercy a 16-5 lead with 13:08 left. Cajou brought the score to 16-6 before Mackie scored her second of the day to bring the score to 17-6. STAC came back with two straight goals to get within 17-8. However, the Mavericks closed the game with three straight goals to secure the win. Cummings, Corace and Chalich all tallied goals to put the finishing touches on the win.
Mercy held a 39-18 edge in shots, a 23-17 edge in ground balls and a 17-13 edge in draw controls.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, May 8th when they host the winner of Roberts Wesleyan/Molloy in the ECC Championship Game at 11 a.m. at Mercy Field.
