DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 11, 2025) – Powered by a combined 51 points from sophomore Grace Lesko (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) and junior Angelina Barrera (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester Catholic), the Mercy University women's basketball team earned an 80-66 win over ECC foe University of the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (9-6, 3-2 ECC) have won three of their last four games and defeat Firebirds (4-10, 2-3 ECC) for the fourth straight year in Dobbs Ferry. Mercy scored a season-high 80 points in the win.
Mercy was led by Lesko who had a career-high and game-high 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting with a career-high 13 rebounds to go along with two blocks and two assists. Barrera added a season-high-tying 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor and 9-of-12 shooting from the foul line with eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Freshman Caitlin Leary (Carle Place, N.Y./Carle Place) scored a career-high eight points in her first collegiate start and had six rebounds and a game-high-tying five assists with three steals. Senior Jaclyn Stanavich (Amsterdam, N.Y./Amsterdam) scored seven points and sophomore Molly Boek (Saugerties, N.Y./Saugerties) contributed six points and five rebounds. Freshman Morgan Miller (Branford, Conn./Sacred Heart Academy) netted a career-high four points and senior Kayla Halvorsen (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Dobbs Ferry) recorded three points. Junior Megan Marcotte (Enfield, Conn./Enfield) had one point and two rebounds.
UDC was led by Laci Johnson who had a team-high 25 points.
UDC scored the game's first five points to take a 5-0 lead before Mercy scored seven consecutive points to take a 7-5 lead after two Barrera free throws with 7:12 left in the quarter. The Firebirds later held a 13-12 lead with 3:06 remaining in the opening quarter before the Mavericks closed the quarter on an 11-4 run to take a 23-17 lead after a Stanavich jumper at the buzzer.
The Firebirds scored the first four points of the second quarter to cut Mercy's lead to two, 23-21, at the 8:42 mark. The Mavericks stormed back on a 10-1 run to increase their lead to 11, 33-22, following two Boek free throws with 5:15 left in the half. UDC scored the next six points to make it 33-28 before Mercy went on a 5-2 spurt to take a 38-30 lead following a Miller free throw. A late Johnson three cut the Mavericks lead to five, 38-33, at halftime.
Mercy began the third quarter on a 9-2 run to take a 47-35 lead following a Lesko layup with 7:22 left in the quarter. A Miller three at the 1:44 mark gave the Mavericks a 16-point lead, 60-44, and a Barrera layup at the 1:10 mark made it 62-46. Mercy headed into the fourth quarter with a 15-point lead, 65-50, after a Barrera free throw.
A Johnson three to open the fourth quarter made it 65-53, but a three from Leary and a layup from Stanavich gave Mercy a game-high 17-point lead, 70-53, with 7:40 left. The Firebirds later cut the Mavericks lead to 11, 75-64, with 2:10 left. However, a Lesko three and Barrera layup quickly made it a 16-point game again, 80-64, with 1:04 left and Mercy held on for the 80-66 win.
Mercy shot 43.5 percent (27-of-62) from the floor, 35.0 percent (7-of-20) from downtown and 67.9 percent (19-of-28) from the foul line. UDC shot 39.1 percent (25-of-64) from the field, 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from beyond the arc and 58.8 percent (10-of-17) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 43-39 edge on the glass and the Mavericks had a season-high 22 assists.
Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, January 15th when they host Queens at 5 p.m.
