PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Apr. 26, 2023) – Powered by a game-high seven points from graduate student Jaclyn Grzelaczyk (Seaford, N.Y./New York Tech) and a combined 14 saves from junior Olivia Maute (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) and freshman Olivia LaMonica (Jefferson Township, N.J./Jefferson Township), the No. 20 Mercy College women's lacrosse team earned a 17-7 win over Jefferson University on Wednesday afternoon at Ravenhill Field.
The Mavericks (10-6) have won four games in a row and defeat the Rams (8-8) for the seventh straight time. Mercy held Jefferson to a season-low-tying seven goals.
Grzelaczyk had four goals and three assists and sophomore Leah Hansen (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields) had four goals and an assist. Graduate student Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) had three goals and an assist and graduate student Emma Rippon (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Iona University) had two goals, two assists and a team-high three caused turnovers. Freshman Andrea Mott (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) had a goal and a game-high four assists and sophomore Leena Moussa (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) had two goals. Junior Kelly Rosenfeld (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) also scored and sophomore Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) had a game-high six ground balls and eight draw controls with two caused turnovers. Maute made seven saves in the first half with just two goals allowed to earn the win. LaMonica made seven saves in the second half to preserve the win.
Jefferson was led by Audrey Strock who had a team-high three goals. Melanie Goldstein made six saves to take the loss.
Jaclyn Grzelaczyk scored just 28 seconds into the game, off an assist from Mott, to give Mercy a 1-0 lead. Goals from Rippon, Moussa and Jaclyn Grzelaczyk gave the Mavericks a 4-0 lead with 9:41 left in the first quarter, leading to a Jefferson timeout. Iris Gluck scored for Jefferson with 7:35 on the clock to make it 4-1. Jaclyn Grzelaczyk and Moussa closed the quarter with goals to give Mercy a 6-1 lead after the first quarter.
Strock opened the scoring in the second quarter to make it 6-2 with 13:09 left in the half. Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk scored the Mavericks first goal of the quarter at the 10:29 mark to give Mercy a 7-2 lead. Rosenfeld recorded the final goal of the quarter with 1:54 on the clock to give the Mavericks an 8-2 lead at halftime.
Hansen gave the Mavericks a 9-2 lead less than a minute into the third quarter. The Rams rallied with five straight goals to cut Mercy's lead to two, 9-7, with 3:59 left in the quarter. Hansen found the back of the net again at the 2:35 mark to put the Mavericks up 10-7 at the end of the third quarter.
Mercy scored all seven goals in the fourth quarter to pull away from Jefferson. Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk made it 11-7 at the 12:54 mark and Hansen and Mott netted back-to-back goals to make it 13-7 with 8:21 left. After a Jefferson timeout, Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk and Hansen tallied goals to increase the lead to 15-7 with four minutes left. Rippon and Jaclyn Grzelaczyk finished off the scoring for Mercy with goals to give the Mavericks a commanding 17-7 lead with two minutes left. LaMonica made four saves in the fourth quarter to keep the Rams scoreless and Mercy earned the 17-7 win.
Mercy held a 27-22 edge in shots, a 26-25 edge in ground balls and draw controls were tied at 14-14.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday when they host Daemen for Senior Day at 12 p.m.
