DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 25, 2023) – Despite a team-high three goals from sophomore Leena Moussa (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh), the No. 11 Mercy College women's lacrosse team dropped a 12-8 decision to No. 4/5 Le Moyne College in their home opener on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (1-1) fall to the Dolphins (1-0) for the fourth straight time and suffer their first loss of the season.
Moussa now has a team-high seven goals on the year and sophomore Leah Hansen (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields) added two goals. Graduate student Jaclyn Grzelaczyk (Seaford, N.Y./New York Tech) had a goal and an assist and graduate student Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) had a goal. Sophomore Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) recorded a goal, a game-high-tying four ground balls, a game-high-tying five caused turnovers with three draw controls. Senior Erin Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Adelphi University) added an assist and graduate student Micayla Brady (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) had four ground balls and four caused turnovers. Junior Olivia Maute (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) made a career-high eight saves to take the loss.
Le Moyne was led by Jessica Meneilly who had a game-high five goals. Paige Crandall made 11 saves to earn the win.
Meneilly opened the scoring for the Dolphins less than a minute into the game to give Le Moyne a 1-0 lead. Sara Goodwin later made it 2-0 on a free position shot to give the visitors a 2-0 less than two minutes into the game. Back-to-back goals from Hansen and Moussa tied the score at 2-2 with 11:44 left in the opening quarter. A Gemma Addonizio goal at the 8:43 mark gave the Dolphins a 3-2 lead. However, Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk followed with a goal, off an assist from her sister Jaclyn, to tie the game again at 3-3. Sarah Hutchings netted the final goal of the quarter with 45 seconds on the clock to give Le Moyne a 4-3 lead after the first quarter.
Lindsey Shimborske won the opening draw control of the second quarter and scored just 17 seconds into the quarter to tie the game again at 4-4. A goal from Katelyn Karleski gave the Dolphins a 5-4 lead with 10 minutes before halftime and another Meneilly goal increased Le Moyne's lead to two, 6-4, with 6:18 left in the half. Jaclyn Grzelaczyk netted her lone goal of the game at the 5:34 mark to make it 6-5, but back-to-back goals from Hutchings and Meneilly gave Le Moyne an 8-5 lead at halftime.
Addonizio opened the scoring in the third quarter at the 13:07 mark to make it 9-5. The score remained 9-5 heading into the final three minutes of the quarter when Hansen and Moussa scored goals less than 30 seconds apart to cut the Dolphins lead to 9-7 after three quarters of play.
Adrianna Nojaim made it 10-7 with 13:14 left and two more goals from Meneilly gave the Dolphins their largest lead of the game, 12-7, with 7:43 remaining. Moussa scored her third goal of the day at the 3:12 mark, off an assist from Erin Shimborske, to make it 12-8. Mercy would be unable to score again and Le Moyne earned the 12-8 win.
Le Moyne held a 25-22 edge in shots, a 21-18 edge in ground balls and a 13-10 edge in draw controls.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, March 1st when they host Assumption at 3 p.m.
