NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Nov. 10, 2024) – Despite a team-high 18 points from senior Jaclyn Stanavich (Amsterdam, N.Y./Amsterdam), the Mercy University women's basketball team dropped a 77-62 decision to Southern Connecticut State University on Sunday afternoon at James Moore Fieldhouse.
The Mavericks (1-1) fall to the regionally-ranked Owls (2-0) for the first time since 2007.
Mercy was led by Stanavich who had a team-high 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting with six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Junior Angelina Barrera (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) added 12 points and five rebounds and sophomore Paige Fourtin (Ansonia, Conn./Greens Farms Academy) contributed a career-high nine points. Sophomore Amani Abuhatab (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) had seven points and sophomore Molly Boek (Saugerties, N.Y./Saugerties) netted six points. Sophomore Grace Lesko (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) scored five points and freshman Morgan Miller (Branford, Conn./Sacred Heart Academy) scored her first two collegiate points.
Southern Connecticut State was led by Katie Williamson who had a game-high 20 points.
The score was tied at 9-9 before Mercy scored six straight points to take a 15-9 lead after an Abuhatab three with 1:59 on the clock. Delaney Haines followed with a three to make it 15-12, but a Stanavich three-point play gave the Mavericks an 18-12 lead after the first quarter.
The Owls opened the second quarter on an 11-2 run to take a 23-20 lead with 6:56 left in the half. Southern Connecticut State later held a 32-30 lead before back-to-back baskets from Miller and Stanavich gave Mercy a 34-32 lead. Haines tied the game at 34-34 before a Barrera layup at the buzzer gave the Mavericks a 36-34 lead at halftime.
A Lesko jumper to open the second half gave Mercy a 38-34 lead with 8:21 left in the quarter. The Owls scored the next eight points to take a 42-38 lead at the 6:38 mark. Southern Connecticut State later held a 46-43 lead before the Mavericks scored five unanswered points to take a 48-46 lead following a Fourtin free throw with 2:12 on the clock. The Owls closed the quarter on a 9-2 run to take a 55-50 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Owls scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to take a 59-50 lead with 9:18 left. Mercy stormed back on a 10-4 run to cut the Owls lead to three, 63-60, with 4:34 remaining. Following a Southern Connecticut State timeout, the hosts scored eight straight points to take a 71-60 lead with 3:06 on the clock. A Barrera layup made it 71-62, but the Owls scored the last six points of the game to earn the 77-62 win.
Mercy shot 52.2 percent (24-for-46) from the floor, 55.6 percent (5-for-9) from downtown and 64.3 percent (9-for-14) from the foul line. Southern Connecticut State shot 43.3 percent (26-for-60) from the field, 53.3 percent (8-for-15) from beyond the arc and 94.4 percent (17-for-18) from the charity stripe. The Owls held a 32-20 edge on the glass.
Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday when they host Pace in their home opener at 12 p.m.
