SYRACUSE, N.Y. (Feb. 19, 2023) – Despite a team-high two goals from graduate student Jack Gibbons (North Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham), senior Brady Kearnan (Courtice, Ontario/Newberry College) and junior Andrew Calabria (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North), the No. 2/3 Mercy College men's lacrosse team dropped a 10-8 decision to No. 4/8 Le Moyne College in a rematch of last year's National Semifinal on Sunday afternoon at Ted Grant Field.
The Mavericks (2-1) suffer their first loss of the season and fall to 0-4 all-time at the Dolphins (1-0). The loss is Mercy's first road loss since a 12-11 loss to Le Moyne on February 22, 2020.
Kearnan and Gibbons both had a team-high three points on two goals and an assist and Kearnan recorded his 100th career ground ball. Kearnan now has 101 career ground balls between his year at Newberry and four seasons at Mercy. Calabria added two goals and senior TJ Heyder (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) and junior Brody Caskenette (Owen Sound, Ontario/Owen Sound District Secondary School) also scored. Graduate student Thomas Connors (Bellmore, N.Y./De Sales University) had an assist and senior PJ Argiros (Levittown, N.Y./Nassau CC) went 7-of-9 on faceoffs with an assist and five ground balls. Senior Justin Gerdvil (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) had a game-high three caused turnovers with four ground balls and graduate student Jake Fitzgerald (Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham) had two caused turnovers. Graduate student Tommy Umano (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) made nine saves to take the loss.
Le Moyne was led by Kyle Caves who had a game-high five goals. Nico Mattia went 9-of-22 on faceoffs and Matt Vavonese made 10 saves to earn the win.
The two teams last met on May 22, 2022 at SUNY Purchase in a National Semifinal matchup won by the Mavericks, 12-11, in double overtime, sending Mercy to the National Championship Game for the first time. This time around saw another close game as the Dolphins took a 1-0 lead at the 13:34 mark of the first quarter on a Caves goal. Kearnan evened the score at 1-1 with 8:10 on the clock and Heyder later gave Mercy a 2-1 lead, off an assist from Connors, with 2:09 left in the quarter. The Mavericks headed into the second quarter with a 2-1 lead.
Caves scored his second goal of the game less than a minute into the second quarter to tie the game at 2-2. Pezzimenti gave the Dolphins their first lead of the game at 3-2 with his first goal of the season at the 7:08 mark. Neither team would score again in the half and Le Moyne headed into halftime with a 3-2 lead.
Mercy came out of halftime on fire, scoring three goals in less than two minutes to take a 5-3 lead with Argiros winning three straight faceoffs. Calabria tied the game at 3-3 just 40 seconds into the second half and back-to-back goals from Kearnan and Gibbons put the Mavericks up 5-3 with 13:38 left in the quarter. After a Le Moyne timeout, the Dolphins scored four straight goals to take a 7-5 lead with 6:48 on the clock. Pezzimenti got the run started and Caves tacked on three more goals. Gibbons ended the Dolphins run with his second goal of the day to make it 7-6 after three quarters.
Ethan Loun made it 8-6 in favor of Le Moyne just over 30 seconds into the fourth quarter. Pezzimenti and Isaac Frechette added back-to-back goals to give the Dolphins their largest lead of the game, 10-6, with 9:39 left. Caskenette and Calabria produced two straight goals to cut the Le Moyne lead in half and make it 10-8 with 6:23 to play. The Mavericks would be unable to find the back of the net again and Le Moyne came away with the 10-8 win.
Mercy held a 35-31 edge in shots and a 36-27 edge in ground balls. Mercy also went 13-of-22 on faceoffs.
Head Coach Ryan MacSpadyen and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, February 22nd when they play at Georgian Court at 3 p.m.
