SAINT LEO, Fla. (Dec. 15, 2023) – Despite a team-high 11 points from junior Jaclyn Stanavich (Amsterdam, N.Y./Amsterdam), the Mercy University women's basketball team dropped a 48-41 decision to Saint Leo University on Friday night at the Marion Bowman Center.
The Mavericks (7-4) have dropped two games in a row, while the Lions (8-2) have won seven games in a row.
Stanavich added five rebounds and sophomore Angelina Barrera (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) contributed nine points and a game-high nine rebounds and three blocks. Graduate student Katie Wall (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) netted eight points and senior Maria Tedesco (Ocean Township, N.J./St. Rose) recorded seven points and six rebounds. Freshman Paige Fourtin (Ansonia, Conn./Greens Farms Academy) produced a career-high six points and six rebounds.
Saint Leo was led by Alayna Harris who had a game-high 12 points.
Mercy jumped out to a 7-2 lead after a Barrera layup with 7:38 left in the first quarter. Saint Leo later cut the deficit to two, 10-8, at the 3:08 mark before a Wall three gave Mercy a 13-8 lead after the first quarter.
The Mavericks scored the first seven points of the second quarter to cap a 10-0 run from the end of the first quarter, taking their largest lead of the game, 20-8, after a Fourtin three with 6:36 left in the half. The Lions stormed back on an 11-2 run to cut Mercy's lead to three, 22-19. A late Wall jumper gave the Mavericks a 24-19 lead at halftime.
Saint Leo began the third quarter on a 14-2 run to take a 33-26 lead with 3:21 remaining in the quarter. The Mavericks battled back with a 5-1 run to cut the Lions lead to three, 34-31, after a pair of Stanavich free throws with 1:20 left. An Alanis Diaz free throw gave Saint Leo a 35-31 lead after three quarters.
A Wall free throw at the 9:22 mark of the fourth quarter got Mercy to within three, 35-32. A Barrera layup once again made it a three-point game, 37-34, with 6:17 remaining. The Lions netted the next five points to take their largest lead of the game, 42-34, with 4:48 left. The Mavericks rallied with a 7-1 run to cut the Lions lead to just two, 43-41, following a Barrera jumper with 41 seconds left. Mercy would be held scoreless for the final 41 seconds of the game and Saint Leo went 5-of-6 from the line down the stretch to earn the 48-41 win.
Mercy shot 26.9 percent (14-of-52) from the field, 11.8 percent (2-of-17) from downtown and 50.0 percent (11-of-22) from the charity stripe. Saint Leo shot 32.1 percent (17-of-53) from the floor, 12.5 percent (1-of-8) from beyond the arc and 72.2 percent (13-of-18) from the foul line. Mercy held a 45-35 edge on the glass.
Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face Columbus State at Saint Leo at 1 p.m.
