ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Apr. 6, 2024) – Powered by a career-high 12 saves from sophomore Peter Murphy (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Port Jefferson) in his first collegiate start and a game-high five points from senior Greg Gibbons (North Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham), the No. 5 Mercy University men's lacrosse team earned a 12-7 win over ECC foe Molloy University on Saturday afternoon at the RVC Sports Complex.

The Mavericks (9-1, 4-0 ECC) have won five games in a row and defeat the Lions (6-6, 2-2 ECC) for the 15th straight time.

Mercy was led by Gibbons who had a game-high five points on a game-high three goals with two assists to go with six ground balls. Senior Brody Caskenette (Owen Sound, Ontario/Owen Sound District Secondary School) and sophomore Devon Duchnowski (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) both had two goals and graduate student TJ Heyder (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) had a goal and two assists. Senior Jason Kuehner (Hackettstown, N.J./Hackettstown) had a goal, an assist, a game-high nine ground balls and went 12-of-22 on faceoffs. Seniors Tyler Pjatak (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) and Damiano Ferrara (Hackettstown, N.J./Hackettstown) and sophomore AJ Barone (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) also scored. Senior Andrew Calabria (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) had two assists and freshman Christopher Bergersen (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) dished out an assist. Graduate student Justin Gerdvil (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) had two caused turnovers and Murphy made a career-high 12 saves in his first collegiate start to earn his first collegiate win.

Molloy was led by Tommy Corcoron who had a team-high-tying four points on two goals and two assists. Christian Michaels made a game-high 13 saves to take the loss.

Pjatak scored just 25 seconds into the game, off an assist from Kuehner, to give Mercy an early 1-0 lead. Gibbons netted his first goal of the game 28 seconds later to make it 2-0, leading to a Molloy timeout. Following the timeout, Caskenette and Barone closed the quarter with goals to give Mercy a 4-0 lead after the first quarter.

A Mikey Rodin goal at the 13:03 mark of the second quarter made it 4-1. Gibbons answered with his second goal, following a pass from Heyder, at the 12:00 mark to make it 5-1. Noah Taylor later scored a man-up goal with 7:52 left in the half to make it 5-2. Kuehner won the ensuing faceoff and scored to give the Mavericks a 6-2 lead. Gibbons and Heyder ended the quarter with goals, off assists from Calabria and Bergersen, to give Mercy an 8-2 lead at halftime.

Duchnowski and Ferrara both scored in the third quarter to put the Mavericks up, 10-2, after three quarters.

Duchnowski found the back of the net again at the 14:22 mark of the fourth quarter, off a Calabria assist, to make it 11-2. Caskenette later gave the Mavericks a game-high 10-goal lead, 12-2, following another Heyder assist with 12:40 remaining. Molloy scored the final five goals of the game to make it 12-7 with 1:14 on the clock. However, the deficit proved too much to overcome, and Mercy earned the 12-7 win.

Molloy held a 41-35 edge in shots. Mercy held a 34-28 edge in ground balls and went 12-of-22 on faceoffs.

Head Coach Ryan MacSpadyen and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, April 13th when they play at Frostburg State at 1 p.m.