DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 18, 2025) – The No. 3 seeded Mercy University Women's Soccer Team faces No. 6 seeded Roberts Wesleyan University in the First Round of the 2025 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship on Friday, November 21st at 3 p.m. at Franklin Pierce University. The winner of Friday's game will play at No. 2 seeded Franklin Pierce University on Sunday, November 23rd at 12 p.m.
Who, When and Where
First Round
Date/Time: Friday, November 21st 3 p.m.
Records: #3 Mercy (14-3-2), #6 Roberts Wesleyan (11-3-4)
Location: Rindge, N.H. (Franklin Pierce University)
Second Round
Date/Time: Sunday, November 23rd 12 p.m.
Records: Winner #3 Mercy/#6 Roberts Wesleyan at #2 Franklin Pierce (13-2-5)
Location: Rindge, N.H.
Championship Central
Tickets
All Games
$10 – General Admission
$5 – Students, Children and Senior Citizens
Last Meeting vs. Roberts Wesleyan
Mercy dropped a 1-0 decision to Roberts Wesleyan in the ECC Championship Final on Sunday, November 16, 2025.
Scouting the Mavericks
The Mavericks are coming off a 1-0 loss to Roberts Wesleyan in the ECC Championship Final on Sunday. Mercy was led by sophomore Anneliese Becker who made four saves. Mercy is coming off a season in which they went 10-8-2 and advanced to the Semifinals of the ECC Championship. The Mavericks have qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons and were in the ECC Championship for the 12th straight season. Mercy was picked fourth in the ECC Preseason Poll. Leading the returners for Head Coach Jack Nicholson is senior Ancksu Dixon who was named United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region and First Team All-ECC last season after leading the team with 12 goals and 32 points. Also returning are 2024 ECC All-Conference selections sophomores Alyssa Santiago, Hailey Metzger and Anneliese Becker and senior Anna Deutscher. Santiago was a Second Team All-ECC honoree last season and Metzger earned Third Team honors after leading the ECC with nine assists. Becker was also a Third Team recipient after going 10-8-2 in goal last season with 82 saves, a .781 save percentage and 1.15 goals-against average with eight shutouts. Deutscher received Third Team honors after recording two goals and four assists. Senior Maleah Tarin returns after missing last season due to injury. Tarin was named Second Team All-ECC in 2023 after recording four goals and one assist. Graduate student Madison Rosa is also back for the Mavericks after being named United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-Region in 2023. Rosa has eight goals, 12 assists and 28 points in 55 career games. Senior Ella Brower is back after recording four assists last season and sophomore Ana Polychroniades and junior Ella Gallino return after combining for four goals and an assist in 2024. Also returning for Nicholson are seniors Emma Best and Rita-Marie Masi, graduate student Stacy Avendano, juniors Angelina Ortiz and Sarah Davi, sophomores Sophia Campites, Alexia Tavantzis and Dakota Dieumegard. Leading the newcomers for the Mavericks are sophomore Blake Goldstein and junior Sarah Lill Hanks who transferred from Long Island University and High Point University, respectively. Joining the team as freshmen and looking to contribute immediately are Camila Salvador, Gracie DiPalo, Ella Russo, Rosa Pistone, Alyssa Cedeno, Kelis Guzmán, Casey Szczotka, Maeve Connelly, Peighton McKenna and Christie Clark.
Mercy is making their eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and their first since 2022. Mercy won their first ECC Regular Season Championship since 2022. The Mavericks have advanced past the First Round in the NCAA Tournament in five of their previous seven appearances. Mercy advanced to the Final Four in 2017. Mercy is facing Roberts Wesleyan in a rematch of this past weekend's ECC Championship Final won by the Redhawks, 1-0. The Mavericks have been led by sophomore Hailey Metzger who has a team-high-tying 30 points on nine goals and a team-high 12 assists. Metzger currently leads the ECC in assists and has tied the single season school record for assists. Dixon has a team-high 13 goals with a team-high 30 points. Dixon set a new school record with her 88th career point against Molloy on September 20th and a new school record for career goals with her 35th career goal against Holy Family on October 1st. Dixon recorded her 100th career point against STAC on October 22nd. Szczotka has three goals and an assist and senior Maleah Tarin has a goal and an assist. Graduate student Madison Rosa has four goals and two assists. Junior Ella Gallino has three goals and an assist and freshman Gracie DiPalo has four goals on the year. Freshman Camila Salvador has four goals and five assists and senior Anna Deutscher and freshman Rosa Pistone have a goal and an assist. Junior Sarah Lill Hanks has three assists and senior Emma Best has two assists. Sophomore Blake Goldstein and senior Ella Brower each have an assist. Sophomore Sophia Campites has one goal and sophomore Anneliese Becker is 14-3-2 in goal with 41 saves and a 0.84 goals-against average. Becker recorded her 100th career save against Pace on October 7th. Metzger was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on September 8th, DiPalo was tabbed Rookie of the Week and Dixon was named to the Honor Roll. Szczotka was named ECC Rookie of the Week on September 15th and Gallino and Dixon were tabbed to the Honor Roll. Dixon and Salvador were named to the ECC Honor Roll on September 22nd. Salvador was named ECC Rookie of the Week on September 29th and Dixon and Lill Hanks were named to the Honor Roll. Metzger was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on October 6th, Szczotka was tabbed Rookie of the Week and Dixon was named to the Honor Roll. Becker was named ECC Co-Defensive Player of the Week on October 13th, Szczotka was named Rookie of the Week and DiPalo was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Dixon was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on October 27th and freshman Camila Salvador was tabbed Rookie of the Week. Salvador was named ECC Rookie of the Week last week and Metzger was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Lill Hanks was named ECC Defensive Player of the Year, Szczotka was named Rookie of the Week and Head Coach Jack Nicholson was named Coach of the Year. Dixon, Lill Hanks, Szczotka, and Salvador were named First Team All-ECC, Metzger, Santiago and Best were named Second Team All-ECC and Deutscher, Tarin, Brower and Becker were named Third Team All-ECC. The 11 All-Conference selections tied a school record. Mercy is currently ranked No. 17 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll. Mercy is 8-5-2 all-time against Roberts Wesleyan and is 0-4-1 all-time against Franklin Pierce.
Scouting the Redhawks
Roberts Wesleyan is coming off a 1-0 win over Mercy on Sunday to secure their first ECC Championship and are making their third NCAA Tournament appearance. Roberts Wesleyan was picked fifth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 5-10-1 last season. The Redhawks enter Friday's game on a six-game winning streak. The Redhawks are led by Second Team All-ECC selection Mackenzie Hagen who has a team-high 18 points on seven goals and four assists. The ECC Championship Most Outstanding Player Jenna Northup has 17 points on eight goals and one assist and Second Team All-ECC recipient Kara Choate has 13 points on five goals and three assists. Second Team All-ECC honoree Cami Brescia has a team-high seven assists with two goals and Alyssa Hackett has four goals and three assists. Mia Tyndell is 9-3-4 in goal with 81 saves, a .835 save percentage and 1.03 goals-against average.
Scouting the Ravens
Franklin Pierce is coming off a 1-1 draw, falling in penalty kicks, 4-3, to Saint Anselm in the NE10 Championship on Sunday. The Ravens have qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons and won the East Region in 2024, advancing to the NCAA semifinals. Franklin Pierce defeated Mercy 2-0 in Dobbs Ferry on October 29th. The Ravens are led by First Team All-NE10 selection Makenzie Shean who has a team-high 24 points on eight goals and a team-high eight assists. First Team All-NE10 honoree Claudia Peirce has 23 points on a team-high nine goals with five assists and First Team All-NE10 recipient Jenni Huttunen has 20 points on eight goals and four assists. NE10 Defensive Player of the Year Samantha Breton helped lead a Franklin Pierce backline that allowed just 17 goals in 20 games. Ryan Rosario is 5-1-2 in goal with 29 saves, a .829 save percentage and 0.81 goals-against average. Jess LaCroix is 8-1-3 in goal with 37 saves, a .771 save percentage and 0.86 goals-against average.
