DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 15, 2025) – Powered by a game-high 18 points from junior Angelina Barrera (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) and a double-double from sophomore Grace Lesko (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area), the Mercy University women's basketball team earned a 57-51 win over ECC foe Queens College on Wednesday night at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.

The Mavericks (10-6, 4-2 ECC) have won two games in a row and have now recorded double-digit wins in a season for the fourth straight season for the first time since 1987-93. Mercy defeats the Knights (7-8, 2-3 ECC) for the third straight time.

Mercy was led by Barrera who had a game-high 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor and 8-of-10 shooting from the foul line with six rebounds, three assists and two steals in 40 minutes. Lesko recorded her third straight double-double by way of 10 points and 11 rebounds to go with three assists and three steals. Freshman Caitlin Leary (Carle Place, N.Y./Carle Place) added six points and junior Megan Marcotte (Enfield, Conn./Enfield) recorded six points and four rebounds. Sophomore Molly Boek (Saugerties, N.Y./Saugerties) had six points and three assists and sophomore Paige Fourtin (Ansonia, Conn./Greens Farms Academy) scored six points. Senior Jaclyn Stanavich (Amsterdam, N.Y./Amsterdam) finished with five points.

Queens was led by Nkiru Awaka who had a team-high 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Mercy jumped out to a 7-2 lead at the 7:26 mark of the first quarter after two Barrera free throws. The Mavericks later held a 13-10 lead with 2:29 remaining in the quarter after a Leary three before Queens scored the next six points to take a 16-13 lead with 49 seconds left in the quarter. A late Barrera jumper cut the Knights' lead to one, 16-15, after one quarter.

Back-to-back baskets from Boek and Marcotte gave Mercy a 19-16 lead with 7:23 left in the first half. Queens came back on an 8-4 spurt to retake the lead at 24-23 at the 4:00 mark. The Mavericks closed the half on an 8-1 run, finished off by a Marcotte jumper, to take a 31-25 lead at halftime.

After Queens scored the first basket of the third quarter, a Leary three and Barrera free throw gave Mercy a 35-27 lead with 8:32 left in the quarter. The Knights rallied with a 10-0 run to take a 37-35 lead at the 5:04 mark. The Mavericks closed the quarter on a 12-5 run to take a 47-42 lead following two Barrera free throws.

A Lesko layup at the 8:01 mark of the fourth quarter made it 49-42 before an Ashley Chio jumper made it 49-44. A Fourtin three with 3:28 remaining gave the Mavericks a 52-44 lead before the Knights scored three straight points to make it 52-47 with 2:45 left. Fourtin drained another three at the 1:47 mark and Barrera made two free throws to give Mercy a game-high 10-point lead, 57-47, with 1:04 left. Queens scored the final four points of the game to make it 57-51, but the Mavericks held on for the 57-51 win.

Mercy shot 40.4 percent (21-of-52) from the floor, 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from downtown and 84.6 percent (11-of-13) from the foul line. Queens shot 37.3 percent (22-of-59) from the field, 11.1 percent (2-of-18) from beyond the arc and 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from the charity stripe. Queens held a 38-36 edge on the glass.

Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, January 18th when they play at Molloy at 12 p.m.