WORCESTER, Mass. (Sept. 28, 2024) – Despite a career-high 15 saves from junior Rebecca McClure (Canastota, N.Y./Pace University) and a goal from senior Rachel Palladino (Latham, N.Y./Shaker), the Mercy University field hockey team dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision at No. 6 Assumption University on Saturday afternoon at Brian Kelly Stadium.

The Mavericks (5-2, 2-1 NE10) see their four-game winning streak come to an end and suffer their first NE10 loss of the season. The Greyhounds (5-3, 3-0 NE10) improve to 9-0 all-time against Mercy. The one-goal margin of victory for Assumption over the Mavericks is the smallest in nine all-time meetings.

Mercy was led by McClure who made a career-high 15 saves to take the loss. Palladino recorded her team-high-tying third goal of the season and freshman Eunice Santiago (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) dished out her first collegiate assist. Graduate students Kelly Rosenfeld (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) and Kasey Volz (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem North) both added a defensive save.

Assumption was led by Mia Salah who had a game-high two goals. Paige Gillette made one save to earn the win.

McClure made two saves in the first three minutes of play and stopped four shots in the first seven minutes of action. Salah gave the Greyhounds a 1-0 lead in the 9th minute, following an assist by Caroline McSweeney. The score remained 1-0 heading into the second quarter.

McClure made two more saves in the first minute of play in the second quarter and Volz added a defensive save in the 17th minute to keep the score 1-0. McClure stopped four more shots in the half to keep the score at just 1-0 heading into halftime.

McClure added another save and Rosenfeld came up with a defensive save in the third quarter to send Mercy into the fourth quarter down just 1-0 against the sixth-ranked Greyhounds.

McClure opened the fourth quarter with another save before Salah scored again in the 47th minute, after a corner, to give Assumption a 2-0 lead. Mercy continued to battle and got on the scoreboard in the 58th minute to make it 2-1. Palladino had a shot blocked after a junior Samantha Trickel (Ottsville, Pa./Palisades) corner before Santiago found Palladino and the senior found the back of the cage this time to get Mercy within a goal. The Mavericks were unable to score again, and McClure made two more saves to keep the score 2-1, giving Assumption the win.

Assumption held a 32-6 edge in shots and a 19-2 edge in shots on goal. Assumption held a 16-2 edge in penalty corners.

Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, October 1st when they host Adelphi at 3:30 p.m.