DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Apr. 26, 2022) – Powered by a career-high-tying five goals from graduate student Briana Corace (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac), the No. 15 Mercy College women's lacrosse team earned a 19-4 win over ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Tuesday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (11-4, 5-0 ECC) have won five games in a row, while the Purple Knights (7-5, 1-4 ECC) have dropped two games in a row.
Corace had five goals and two ground balls and freshmen Leah Hansen (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields) and Leena Moussa (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) both had three goals and two assists. Moussa also added three caused turnovers. Senior Juliana Keenan (Bethpage, N.Y./Plainedge) and freshman Tatiana Moran (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) both had two goals and sophomore Ally Schreck (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) had a goal and two assists. Seniors Taylor Bishop (West Milford, N.J./West Milford) and Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) and junior Erin Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Adelphi University) also scored. Senior Kerri Cummings (Islip, N.Y./Islip) and freshman Isabelle Palladino (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) had two assists and freshman Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) had five draw controls and one caused turnover. Junior Gianna Mott (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) had two caused turnovers and senior Madeline Garvalosa (Seaford, N.Y./St. Anthony's) made four saves in the first half to earn the win. Sophomore Olivia Maute (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) had two saves in the second half.
Bridgeport was led by Shyla Murray who had a team-high three goals. Jacklyn Mellia made 11 saves to take the loss.
Corace wasted little time in getting the Mercy offense going as she scored less than a minute in to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead. Corace netted two more goals to put the Mavericks up 3-0 with 10:10 left in the first quarter. Keenan and Hansen followed with their first goals of the game to give Mercy a 5-0 lead at the 9:07 mark. Erin Shimborske and Grzelaczyk closed the quarter out with goals to put the Mavericks up 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Keenan made it 8-0 with her second goal less than a minute into the second quarter. Murray scored the first Bridgeport goal at the 12:33 mark to make it 8-1. Corace quickly answered, off an assist from Moussa, to put Mercy back up eight, 9-1. Corace, Moussa and Bishop later rattled off three straight goals in just over two minutes to give the Mavericks a 12-1 lead with 8:06 left in the half, leading to a Bridgeport timeout. Hansen and Murray traded goals to finish the quarter, sending Mercy into halftime with a 13-2 lead.
Hansen and Moussa scored the first two goals of the third quarter to make it 15-2 with 7:42 left in the quarter. Murray responded with her third goal to make it 15-3. Moussa ended the quarter with her third goal to give Mercy a 16-3 lead after three quarters.
Schreck scored the first goal of the fourth quarter to make it 17-3 and Moran followed with back-to-back goals to give the Mavericks a 19-3 lead with 5:21 left. A late Bridgeport goal made it 19-4, but the deficit proved too much to overcome and Mercy came away with the win.
Mercy held a 37-16 edge in shots, a 26-11 edge in ground balls and 16-10 edge in draw controls.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, April 30th when they play at STAC at 12 p.m.
