BUFFALO, N.Y. (Apr. 28, 2024) – Powered by a career-high nine points from junior Leah Hansen (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields), the RV Mercy University women's lacrosse team earned an 18-5 win over ECC foe Daemen University on Sunday afternoon at Coyer Field.

The Mavericks (8-9, 5-1 ECC) end the regular season having won four of their last five games and defeat the Wildcats (5-12, 2-4 ECC) for the second straight time. Mercy has secured the No. 2 seed in next week's ECC Championship and will host No. 3 seed D'Youville in a Semifinal on Thursday, May 2nd at 3 p.m.

Mercy was led by Hansen who had a career-high-tying seven goals with two assists. Sophomore Maeghan Callow (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) had two goals and an assist and graduate student Sydney Corley (Coram, N.Y./Newfield) had three goals. Junior Leena Moussa (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) and senior Brooke Zarou (Garden City, N.Y./Long Island University) each had two goals and junior Isabelle Palladino (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) and graduate student Erin Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Adelphi University) also scored. Sophomore Andrea Mott (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) and senior Carly Diolosa (Brookhaven, N.Y./Bellport) each had an assist and junior Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) had a game-high eight draw controls with four ground balls and two caused turnovers. Senior Olivia Maute (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) played the first half in goal and made three saves to earn the win. Sophomore Olivia LaMonica (Jefferson Township, N.J./Jefferson Township) made three saves in 26:19 minutes of action and freshman Olivia Bradley (Commack, N.Y./Commack) made one save in the final 3:41 minutes of action.

Daemen was led by Ella Bouley who had a team-high three points on two goals and one assist. Tatiana Wright made six saves in 53:05 minutes of action to take the loss.

Moussa and Hansen scored the game's first two goals to give Mercy a 2-0 lead with 13:13 left in the first quarter. Corley later made it 3-0, off a Callow assist, at the 10:07 mark. An Avery Castner goal made it 3-1 before goals from Hansen, Callow and Zarou gave the Mavericks a 6-1 lead with 1:42 left in the quarter. A late Cadence Baran goal cut Mercy's lead to 6-2 after the first quarter.

Hansen found the back of the net in the first minute of play in the second quarter to give Mercy a 7-2 lead. Hansen and Zarou later scored back-to-back goals to make it 9-2 at the 10:02 mark, leading to a Daemen timeout. After the Wildcats timeout, Daemen scored two straight goals to make it 9-4 with 8:54 left in the half. Hansen, Callow and Moussa closed the quarter with goals to give Mercy a 12-4 lead at halftime.

Hansen gave the Mavericks a 13-4 lead with 12:59 left in the third quarter. Corley followed with two straight goals to increase Mercy's lead to 11, 15-4, with 7:08 on the clock. Shimborske closed the quarter with a goal to give Mercy a 16-4 lead after three quarters.

Hansen and Palladino scored the first two goals of the fourth quarter to give Mercy an 18-4 lead with 7:21 left. A late Bouley goal made it 18-5, but it was not enough, and the Mavericks earned the 18-5 win.

Mercy held a 32-18 edge in shots, a 27-16 edge in ground balls and an 18-8 edge in draw controls.

Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, May 2nd when they host D'Youville in an ECC Championship Semifinal at 3 p.m.