FLUSHING, N.Y. (Sept. 6, 2024) – Despite goals from juniors Ancksu Dixon (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) and Anna Deutscher (Heidenheim, Germany/Monroe CC), the Mercy University women's soccer team opened their 2024 season with a 4-2 loss against Franklin Pierce University on Friday night at Queens College.

The Mavericks (0-1) drop their season opener for the first time since 2022, while the Ravens (1-0) open their season with a win.

Mercy was led by Dixon who scored her 17th career goal and by Deutscher who scored in Mercy debut. Seniors Isabella Messina (Huntington Beach, Calif./Saddleback College) and Elizabeth Bowles (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers Montessori Academy) and freshman Hailey Metzger (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur) all recorded an assist. Freshman Anneliese Becker (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) made a game-high three saves to take the loss in her collegiate debut.

Franklin Pierce was led by Aino Martikainen and Jenni Huttunen who both scored two goals. Emilie Fox made one save to earn the win.

The Ravens made it 1-0 in just the 7th minute of action when Martikainen scored on a penalty kick. Huttunen followed with her first goal of the game less than a minute later to make it 2-0 in the 8th minute of play.

The score stayed 2-0 until the 35th minute when Dixon scored, off assists from Metzger and Bowles, to make it 2-1. The score remained 2-1 heading into halftime.

It remained 2-1 until the 74th minute when Franklin Pierce scored two goals on penalty kicks less than 30 seconds apart to take a 4-1 lead. Deutscher made it 4-2 in the 81st minute with her first goal of the season, following a Messina assist.

Franklin Pierce held Mercy scoreless for the remainder of the game to earn the 4-2 win.

Franklin Pierce held a 15-4 edge in shots and a 7-3 edge in shots on goal. Franklin Pierce held a 7-0 edge in corner kicks.

Head Coach Jack Nicholson and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, September 8th when they face Southern New Hampshire at 3 p.m. at Queens College.