WEST HAVEN, Conn. (Oct. 10, 2023) – Powered by a game-high two goals and an assist from senior Rieley Fitzgerald (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston), the Mercy University field hockey team earned a 5-3 win over NE10 foe University of New Haven on Tuesday night at DellaCamera Stadium.
The Mavericks (4-8, 3-5 NE10) snap a six-game losing streak and defeat the Chargers (4-9, 4-5 NE10) for the second straight year. Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola records her 16th career win as head coach, setting a new program record for career wins as head coach. She surpasses the previous record of 15 set by Kayte Kinsley.
Mercy was led by Fitzgerald who now has five goals and two assists on the year. Senior Kate Ringstad (Woodstock, Md./Mount de Sales Academy) recorded her fourth goal and third assist of the season and sophomore Samantha Trickel (Ottsville, Pa./Palisades) netted her third goal and second assist of the season. Senior Kelly Rosenfeld (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) netted her fourth goal of the season and senior Rachel Palladino (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) added her first assist of the season. Junior Alexandra Giordano (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) made nine saves to earn her third win of the season.
New Haven was led by Abby Nixon, Sophia Ruh and Erin Smith who all scored. Ally Saigh made nine saves in the final 58 minutes of action to take the loss.
The Mavericks wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard as Trickel scored just 29 seconds into the game to give Mercy a 1-0 lead. Rosenfeld quickly made it 2-0 just 1:35 into the game, following an assist from Trickel. Giordano made five saves to keep the score 2-0, but Nixon finally got the Chargers on the scoreboard in the 14th minute making it 2-1 at the end of the first quarter.
Giordano made one more save in the second quarter and the score remained 2-1 at halftime.
Giordano stopped another shot early in the third quarter before Smith tied the game at 2-2 in the 32nd minute following a penalty corner. The Chargers would take their first lead of the game in the 34th minute after Ruh scored, making it 3-2. Giordano made another save in the 36th minute to keep it 3-2 and Fitzgerald tied the game again at 3-3 in the 40th minute following an assist from Palladino. The Mavericks regained the lead for good in the 41st minute when Ringstad found the back of the cage after a Fitzgerald penalty corner, giving Mercy a 4-3 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Giordano made her final save of the game in the 52nd minute to keep Mercy ahead. The score remained 4-3 until the final minute of play when Fitzgerald scored after a Ringstad assist to give the Mavericks a 5-3 lead. Mercy would hold on for the 5-3 road win.
New Haven held a 24-18 edge in shots and Mercy held a 14-12 edge in shots on goal. New Haven held a 15-6 edge in penalty corners.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, October 14th when they play at AIC at 12 p.m.
