RINDGE, N.H. (Oct. 29, 2022) – Powered by goals from juniors Rachel Palladino and Rieley Fitzgerald and graduate student Alyssa Sacco, the Mercy College field hockey team earned a 3-1 win at NE10 foe Franklin Pierce University on Saturday afternoon at Sodexo Field.
The Mavericks (5-5, 4-5 NE10) snap a four-game losing streak with the win and now have their most NE10 wins in program history. Mercy continues their best start in program history and have their most wins in a season since 2018. The Ravens (4-10, 3-6 NE10) have dropped two straight meetings to Mercy.
Palladino netted her second goal of the season. Fitzgerald scored her third goal of the season and added her team-high-tying fifth assist of the season. Sacco recorded her team-leading seventh goal of the season and dished out her third assist of the season. Junior Flynn Kirk added a defensive save and graduate student Lauren Visicone made eight saves to earn the win.
Franklin Pierce was led by Meghan Winn who scored and by Addy Araneo who made two saves in the first half.
Palladino gave the Mavericks a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute of action after finishing off her own rebound. Fitzgerald increased the Mercy lead to 2-0 just over a minute later when she received a pass from Sacco and finished to the right post. Viscione made two late saves in the period to keep Mercy ahead 2-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Viscione stopped two more shots in the second quarter, sending Mercy into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
Viscione made two more saves to open the third quarter before Fitzgerald fed the ball from the right side and Sacco put the ball into the cage to give the Mavericks a 3-0 lead in the 44th minute. Mercy headed to the fourth quarter with a 3-0 lead.
A defensive save from Kirk and two more saves from Viscione kept the score 3-0. Winn would end the shutout bid with a goal with just two seconds left to make it 3-1. Time would run out on the Ravens comeback bid and Mercy came away with the win.
Franklin Pierce held a 29-8 edge in shots and a 10-6 edge in shots on goal. Franklin Pierce held a 19-0 edge in penalty corners.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Frostburg State at 11 a.m.
