SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Sept. 24, 2021) – Powered by the game-winning goal in overtime by graduate student Nicole Cotton (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip), the Mercy College field hockey team earned a 2-1 come-from-behind overtime win over No. 9 American International College on Friday night. The No. 9 ranking of AIC is the highest ranked team Mercy has beaten in program history and gives first-year Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola her first NE10 victory.
The Mavericks (2-5, 1-3 NE10) snap a five-game losing streak and earn their first NE10 win of the year. The Yellow Jackets (5-4, 3-3 NE10) have dropped two games in a row.
Cotton scored her second goal of the season and sophomore Kelly Rosenfeld (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) assisted on the game-winning goal. Sophomore Ally Schreck (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) netted her first collegiate goal and junior Alyssa Sacco (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) also had an assist. Senior Lauren Viscione (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) made five saves to earn the win.
AIC was led by Logan Shunney who scored and by Jessica Stone who had three saves.
The Yellow Jackets dominated the first quarter, holding an 8-0 edge in shots, but Viscione made two saves to keep Mercy in the game. AIC scored their lone goal of the game in the 12th minute of action when Shunney scored off an assist by Dominique Bassallo to make it 1-0.
It remained 1-0 heading into halftime with AIC holding a 13-1 edge in shots. Viscione made all five of her saves in the first half.
The Mavericks continued to battle against the nationally-ranked Yellow Jackets and broke through with their first goal in the 37th minute. Schreck found the back of the net for the first time in her career following a pass from Sacco to make it 1-1.
Mercy outshot the Yellow Jackets 4-2 in the second half, but neither team could break the tie and overtime was needed.
The Mavericks dominated the overtime period, recording all four shots, and forced Stone to make two saves. Rosenfeld sent a ball in from the top of the circle in the 68th minute that made its way past a charging Stone and Cotton finished at the net to give Mercy the upset win on the road.
AIC held a 15-9 edge in shots and a 14-4 edge in penalty corners.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, September 28th when they play at Pace at 4 p.m.
