DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (May 2, 2024) – Powered by a game-high four caused turnovers, six draw controls and eight ground balls from junior Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) and a game-high four goals from both juniors Leena Moussa (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) and Leah Hansen (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields), the No. 2 seeded Mercy University women's lacrosse team earned a 15-3 win over No. 3 seeded D'Youville University in an ECC Women's Lacrosse Championship Semifinal on Thursday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (9-9) advance to the Final for the seventh straight season and will face the winner of #1 Roberts Wesleyan/#4 Molloy at the highest remaining seed on Sunday, May 5th. The Saints (7-10) fall to Mercy in the Semifinals for the third straight year.
Mercy was led by Shimborske who had eight ground balls, four caused turnovers and six draw controls. Moussa had a game-high six points on four goals and two assists and Hansen had four goals. Sophomore Maeghan Callow (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge) had two goals and senior Kelly Rosenfeld (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) had two assists. Graduate students Erin Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Adelphi University) and Sydney Corley (Coram, N.Y./Newfield), senior Brooke Zarou (Garden City, N.Y./Long Island University), sophomore Andrea Mott (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) and freshman Riley Wallace (Islip, N.Y./Islip) also scored. Sophomore Emily Marino (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) added three caused turnovers and senior Olivia Maute (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) made three saves in the first half to earn the win. Sophomore Olivia LaMonica (Jefferson Township, N.J./Jefferson Township) made five saves in the second half, including her 100th career save.
D'Youville was led by Sam Newlin who had a goal and an assist. Brinn Stworzydlak made a game-high 16 saves to take the loss.
Hansen gave Mercy a 1-0 lead less than a minute into the game on a free position goal. A Madison Buck goal at the 9:12 mark tied the game at 1-1. Corley and Hansen ended the quarter with goals to give Mercy a 3-1 lead after the first quarter.
Mott and Callow scored the first two goals of the second quarter to give the Mavericks a 5-1 lead with 11:03 left in the half, leading to a D'Youville timeout. Following the timeout, Sydney Gordon scored to make it 5-2. Erin Shimborske and Wallace closed the quarter with goals to put the Mavericks up 7-2 at halftime.
Moussa made it 8-2 with 7:58 left in the third quarter. Newlin scored the Saints final goal of the game with 4:20 remaining in the quarter to make it 8-3. Hansen tallied the final goal of the quarter with 28 seconds left to give Mercy a 9-3 lead after three quarters.
Callow opened the scoring in the fourth quarter at the 10:26 mark to make it 10-3. Moussa netted back-to-back goals to make it 12-3 with 6:21 left before Zarou scored to give Mercy a 10-goal lead, 13-3, with 5:13 remaining. Moussa and Hansen capped off the scoring for the Mavericks to make it 15-3 and the Mercy defense held D'Youville scoreless in the fourth quarter to earn the Semifinal win.
Mercy held a 39-13 edge in shots, a 22-13 edge in ground balls and a 14-8 edge in draw controls.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, May 5th when they play in the ECC Championship Final against the winner of Roberts Wesleyan/Molloy.
