NEWARK, Del. (Sept. 24, 2024) – Despite a goal from freshman Hailey Metzger (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur) and an assist from senior Isabella Messina (Huntington Beach, Calif./Saddleback College), the Mercy University women's soccer team dropped a 2-1 decision to RV Wilmington University on Tuesday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex.

The Mavericks (3-3-1) see their four-game unbeaten streak come to an end and fall to the Wildcats (5-2) for the second straight year.

Mercy was led by Metzger who recorded her third goal of the season and by Messina who dished out her third assist of the year. Freshman Anneliese Becker (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) made a game-high four saves to take the loss.

Wilmington was led by Evelyn Payne and Maria Leguizamon who both scored. Mio Nakajima made one save in the second half to earn the win.

Both goalkeepers made a save in the first five minutes of action to keep the game scoreless. Mercy struck first in the 9th minute of action when Metzger scored, off an assist from Messina, to give the Mavericks an early 1-0 lead.

Mercy held a 1-0 lead until the 21st minute when Payne scored to tie the score at 1-1. Wilmington goalie Arianna Myers made two more saves in the half to keep the score tied at 1-1 at halftime.

Becker stopped three more shots in the second half and Nakajima stopped an Ancksu Dixon (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) shot in the 88th minute to keep the game tied at 1-1. The Wildcats scored the game-winning goal in the 89th minute when Leguizamon scored following an Ellie Lawrence corner kick to give Wilmington a 2-1 lead. The hosts held the Mavericks scoreless for the final minute of play to earn the 2-1 win.

Wilmington held a 15-10 edge in shots and a 6-5 edge in shots on goal. Wilmington held an 8-2 edge in corner kicks.

Head Coach Jack Nicholson and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, September 28th when they play at Molloy at 12 p.m.