AMHERST, N.Y. (Dec. 15, 2024) – Despite sophomore Amani Abuhatab (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) and senior Jaclyn Stanavich (Amsterdam, N.Y./Amsterdam) scoring in double figures, the Mercy University women's basketball team dropped a 58-44 decision at regionally-ranked ECC foe Daemen University on Sunday afternoon at Lumsden Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (6-5, 2-1 ECC) see their three-game winning streak come to an end and suffer their first ECC loss of the season. The defending ECC Champion Wildcats (8-3, 4-0 ECC) have won eight games in a row.
Mercy was led by Abuhatab who had a team-high 15 points and nine rebounds. Stanavich added 12 points and five rebounds and junior Angelina Barrera (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) recorded seven points and seven rebounds. Senior Kayla Halvorsen (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Dobbs Ferry) contributed six points and four rebounds and sophomore Grace Lesko (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) scored three points. Sophomore Molly Boek (Saugerties, N.Y./Saugerties) had one point and five rebounds.
Daemen was led by Claire Pikett and Danielle DiCintio who both had a game-high 17 points.
Back-to-back jumpers by Abuhatab gave Mercy a 4-0 lead with 8:13 left in the first quarter. A Stanavich jumper with 5:57 remaining in the opening quarter gave the Mavericks a 6-3 lead. Daemen ended the quarter on an 18-5 run to take a 21-11 lead after the first quarter.
The Wildcats scored the first six points of the second quarter to take a 27-11 lead with 6:23 left in the first half. Free throws from Boek and Abuhatab and a layup from Barrera made it 27-15 with 2:03 remaining in the half. Daemen scored the final four points of the half to take a 31-15 lead at halftime.
Two Abuhatab free throws and a Halvorsen three got the Mavericks to within 11, 31-20, at the 7:43 mark of the third quarter. Daemen recorded the next five points to increase the lead back to 16, 36-20, with 4:16 on the clock. A Joline Raposo jumper with 38 seconds on the clock gave the Wildcats a game-high 18-point lead, 43-25, before a Stanavich three made it 43-28 at the end of the third quarter.
Daemen held a 45-30 lead with 8:02 remaining before Mercy went on a 10-5 run to cut the deficit to 10, 50-40, after a Stanavich jumper with 3:22 left. The Wildcats made it 52-40 before a Halvorsen three at the 1:56 mark cut the deficit to single digits, 52-43. Daemen ended the game on a 6-1 run to pull away from the Mavericks, earning the 58-44 win.
Mercy shot 29.4 percent (15-of-51) from the floor, 25.0 percent (6-of-24) from downtown and 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from the foul line. Daemen shot 33.9 percent (21-of-62) from the field, 29.6 percent (8-of-27) from beyond the arc and 72.7 percent (8-of-11) from the charity stripe. Daemen held a 44-38 edge on the glass.
Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, December 21st when they play at Post at 1 p.m.
