SEAFORD, N.Y. (Sept. 5, 2021) – Powered by the game-winning goal in the 15th minute of action from junior Lily Sherry (Brick, N.J./Brick Township), the Mercy College field hockey team opened their 2021 season with a 1-0 victory over Molloy College on Sunday afternoon at Cedar Creek Park. The victory is the first collegiate win for Head Coach and Mercy alum Marissa Spinazzola.

The Mavericks (1-0) win their season opener for the first time in program history and defeat the Lions (0-1) for the fourth straight time.

Sherry scored her second career goal and second career game-winning goal. She also scored the game-winning goal against Pace in 2019. Sophomore Rieley Fitzgerald (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) dished out an assist in her first game as a Maverick. Senior Cydney Wolff (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) made one save to post her first shutout in her first collegiate start.

Molloy was led by Alexa Denis who had a shot on goal and Ally Saigh made two saves to take the loss.

The two teams traded shots on goal in the first eight minutes of action, but Wolff and Saigh both made saves to keep the game scoreless. Mercy would break the scoreless drought with just 29 seconds left in the first quarter. Fitzgerald passed the ball in front of the cage and Sherry fired it into the back of the cage to put Mercy up, 1-0.

Freshman Kelly Rosenfeld (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) recorded a shot on goal in the second quarter after a penalty corner, but Saigh made the save to keep it 1-0. The score remained 1-0 heading into halftime.

Neither team recorded a shot on goal in the second half and the Mavericks emerged victorious in Spinazzola's coaching debut.

Shots were tied at 6-6 and Molloy held a 6-4 edge in penalty corners.

Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, September 11th when they host Bentley in their home opener at 1 p.m.