DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 25, 2023) –Powered by five Mavericks recording multiple caused turnovers, the No. 12 Mercy College women's lacrosse team earned an 11-8 win over RV Roberts Wesleyan University in their ECC opener on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.

The Mavericks (4-4, 1-0 ECC) snap a two-game losing streak and defeat the Redhawks (5-5, 0-1 ECC) for the third straight time.

Sophomore Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) had a game-high-tying five caused turnovers with four ground balls and two draw controls. The sophomore recorded her 100th career draw control becoming the sixth Maverick in program history to reach the mark. Juniors Savanna Spadalik (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) and Christina Lopreato (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) had four caused turnovers and graduate student Micayla Brady (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) had three caused turnovers. Graduate student Alexandra Bigilin (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) also added two caused turnovers. Graduate student Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) scored a team-high three goals and graduate student Emma Rippon (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Iona University) and sophomores Leena Moussa (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) and Leah Hansen (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields) each scored twice. Senior Erin Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Adelphi University) had a goal and an assist and sophomore Julianna Loughran (Hauppauge, N.Y./Sacred Heart University) scored her first goal as a Maverick. Senior Sydney Corley (Coram, N.Y./Newfield) and graduate student Jaclyn Grzelaczyk (Seaford, N.Y./New York Tech) each had an assist. Junior Olivia Maute (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) made four saves to earn the win.

Roberts Wesleyan was led by Annie Mulhall who had a game-high four goals. Shawna Lesmerises made six saves to take the loss.

Mercy took a 1-0 lead at the 11:04 mark of the first quarter after Rippon forced a turnover at midfield and finished a breakaway opportunity to give the Mavericks an early lead. Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk later made it 2-0 with her first goal of the day, following a free position shot with 9:43 left in the first quarter. Mulhall got the Redhawks on the scoreboard with 7:56 on the clock to make it 2-1, but goals from Moussa and Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk gave the Mavericks a 4-1 lead with four minutes left in the quarter. A Kadie Tierney goal cut the Mercy lead to 4-2 after one quarter.

Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk scored her third goal of the game at the 10:44 mark of the second quarter, following a free position shot, to give the Mavericks a 5-2 lead. Mulhall answered with a goal just over a minute later to make it 5-3. Erin Shimborske and Hansen scored the final two goals of the quarter to give Mercy a 7-3 lead at halftime.

Hansen opened the scoring in the third quarter to give Mercy an 8-3 lead with 10:32 left in the quarter. Another Mulhall goal made it 8-4 before Loughran found the back of the net at the 3:55 mark to give the Mavericks a 9-4 lead. Emma Blumenstock scored the final goal of the quarter to cut Mercy's lead to 9-5 after three quarters.

A Rippon goal from Jaclyn Grzelaczyk gave the Mavericks a 10-5 lead with 12:39 remaining. Blumenstock later made it 10-6 before Moussa scored Mercy's final goal at the 8:10 mark to give the Mavericks an 11-6 lead. Roberts Wesleyan scored the final two goals of the game to make it 11-8, but the deficit proved too much to overcome and the Mavericks earned the 11-8 win.

Mercy held a 24-17 edge in shots and a 22-20 edge in ground balls. Roberts Wesleyan held a 14-9 edge in draw controls.

Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, March 29th when they play at Bentley at 3 p.m.