COLCHESTER, Vt. (Sept. 16, 2023) – Powered by four different Mavericks scoring, the Mercy University field hockey team earned a 5-2 win over Saint Michael's College in their NE10 opener on Saturday afternoon at Duffy Field.
The Mavericks (2-2, 1-0 NE10) improve to .500 overall and win their NE10 opener for the first time in program history. The Purple Knights (0-6, 0-1 NE10) remain winless on the year and fall to Mercy for the second straight year. Mercy wins at Saint Michael's for the first time.
Mercy was led by senior Rachel Palladino (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) who had a game-high two goals and senior Rory McComb (LaGrange, N.Y./Arlington) recorded her first collegiate goal. Junior Jessica Evans (Canastota, N.Y./Canastota) and sophomore Samantha Trickel (Ottsville, Pa./Palisades) also scored and senior Kelly Rosenfeld (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) had a game-high two assists. Seniors Kate Ringstad (Woodstock, Md./Mount de Sales Academy) and Ally Schreck (Miler Place, N.Y./Miller Place) and junior Kasey Volz (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem North) also had an assist. Senior Victoria Devlin (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) had a defensive save and junior Alexandra Giordano (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) made three saves to earn her first collegiate win.
Saint Michael's was led by Bridgie Loughlin who had a goal and an assist. Riley O'Connor made seven saves to take the loss.
The Purple Knights took a 1-0 lead just 48 seconds into the game when Madeleine Biondi scored following a penalty corner. O'Connor made two saves in the first quarter to keep Saint Michael's ahead 1-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Trickel evened the score at 1-1 in the 18th minute, off an assist from Volz, after a senior Rieley Fitzgerald (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) corner. Palladino gave the Mavericks a 2-1 lead in the 21st minute when she scored off an odd-woman break after a Rosenfeld cross in the circle.
Palladino netted her fifth goal of the season in the 30th minute, tipping in a Ringstad shot attempt, to put the Mavericks up 3-1 at halftime.
Loughlin made it 3-2 with her goal in the 33rd minute and Giordano made two saves to keep the Purple Knights from tying the game. McComb gave the Mavericks an insurance goal in the 40th minute following a cross from Rosenfeld to give Mercy a 4-2 lead after three quarters.
Evans made it 5-2 in the final minute of play with her third goal of the season, after a Schreck assist, to give Mercy the 5-2 win on the road.
Mercy held a 17-7 edge in shots and a 13-6 edge in shots on goal. Mercy also held a 9-2 edge in penalty corners.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, September 20th when they host Molloy at 4:30 p.m.
