DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (July 8, 2022) – For the seventh year, Mercy College Athletics will recap the year by counting down the Top-10 most memorable moments of the 2021-22 season, with all 10 sports represented.
Mercy College Athletics will release a Top-10 moment, as chosen by the athletics staff, with a recap every Wednesday and Friday for the next five weeks, culminating with the top moment from the 2021-22 athletic year being unveiled on Friday, August 5th.
No. 9 – Field Hockey Wins at No. 9 American International
Coming in at No. 9 in our 2021-22 Top-10 Moments is field hockey who earned a win at No. 9 American International College on September 24, 2021.
Mercy opened their 2021 season with a 1-0 victory at Molloy in Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola's debut. However, the Mavericks dropped their next five games to fall to 1-5 heading into their matchup with AIC on September 24th. Prior to taking on the Yellow Jackets, the Mavericks had faced two nationally ranked teams in Stonehill and Millersville.
AIC entered the game with a 5-3 record on the year and were 3-2 in NE10 play. They were ranked No. 9 nationally in the latest NFHCA Poll. The Yellow Jackets dominated the first quarter, holding an 8-0 edge in shots, but Mercy senior goalkeeper Lauren 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 Logan Shunney scored 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 in the second half and broke through with their first goal in the 37th minute. Sophomore Ally Schreck found the back of the cage for the first time in her career following a pass from senior Alyssa 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 AIC goalkeeper Jessica Stone to make two saves. Sophomore Kelly Rosenfeld sent a ball in from the top of the circle in the 68th minute that made its way past a charging Stone and graduate student Nicole Cotton finished at the net to give Mercy the upset win on the road.
The No. 9 ranking of AIC is the highest ranked team Mercy has beaten in program history and the win gave Spinazzola her first NE10 victory.
Mercy lost their next four games to sit at 2-9 heading into Senior Day against Franklin Pierce. Prior to the game, Mercy honored seniors Briannagh Smith, Savanna James, Cydney Wolff and Viscione. The Mavericks jumped out to a 2-0 lead off goals from Schreck and Sacco. However, the Ravens would event the score at 2-2 in the 58th minute, sending the game into overtime. Cotton went on to score another game-winning goal in the 65th minute to give Mercy a 3-2 Senior Day win.
The Mavericks carried over the momentum from the Franklin Pierce win to their next game against Molloy on October 20th. Schreck would record a career-high six points on two goals and two assists to help lead Mercy to a 6-1 win over the Lions. Cotton, Rosenfeld, Sacco and junior Katie Kreider also scored in the victory. The win gave Mercy four wins on the year, matching their win total from 2019 and the two-game winning streak was the program's first since 2018. The six goals were the second most scored in a game in program history and the five-goal victory was the largest margin of victory in school history.
Mercy dropped three close contests to end the season, closing the season with a 4-13 record overall and 3-11 record in NE10 play. Sacco was named to the NE10 Field Hockey Academic All-Conference Team and the team earned the 2021 NFHCA Division II National Academic Team Award. In the spring of 2022, the Mavericks had 19 student-athletes named to the NE10 Academic Honor Roll.
Spinazzola will look to several returners and a strong recruiting class to help get Mercy to the NE10 Tournament for the first time in program history.
Schedule for the Top-10 Moments of the 2021-22 Season
Every Wednesday and Friday for the next five weeks, the Mercy College Athletic Department will release the Top-10 moments one at a time beginning with the No. 10 moment on Wednesday, July 6th. The No. 1 moment will be unveiled on Friday, August 5th.
No. 1 - August 5th
No. 2 - August 3rd
No. 3 - July 29th
No. 4 - July 27th
No. 5 - July 22nd
No. 6 - July 20th
No. 7 - July 15th
No. 8 - July 13th
No. 9 - July 8th
No. 10 – Men's Basketball Sweeps Molloy for First Time Since 2005
