DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a game-high 29 points from junior Grace Lesko (Northampton, Pa./Northampton), the Mercy University Women's Basketball Team earned a 66-50 win over ECC foe D'Youville University on Sunday afternoon at the Judge Athletic Center.
The Mavericks (5-4, 3-1 ECC) have won three of their last four games and hand the Saints (5-5, 3-1 ECC) their first ECC loss of the season.
The opening quarter between Mercy and D'Youville began with sophomore Morgan Miller (Branford, Conn./Sacred Heart Academy) putting the Mavericks on the board with two free throws following an early foul. Aliviya Vallone Russell responded with a 3-pointer for the Saints, assisted by Alyssa Neumann, setting an early competitive tone. Lesko led Mercy's scoring efforts with an impactful performance, contributing eight points, including a 3-pointer and a layup. Neumann kept D'Youville close with a late 3-pointer, assisted by Vallone Russell, but Mercy held a narrow 14-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Mercy seized momentum in the second quarter with a solid defensive effort and effective scoring in the paint. Molly O'Toole of D'Youville initiated the scoring with a jumper and a layup, giving her team an early lead. However, the Mavericks responded with a scoring surge, highlighted by senior Megan Marcotte's (Enfield, Conn./Enfield) layup at 5:53, assisted by Lesko, to put Mercy ahead 18-17. Lesko later extended the lead with a 3-pointer at 4:12, and sophomore Gabrielle Martin's (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) layup in the final seconds ensured a 29-26 advantage for the Mavericks at the end of the quarter.
Mercy extended their lead in the third quarter, fueled by a strong performance from senior Kyla Nembach (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook), who hit consecutive 3-pointers at 6:16 and 5:33, pushing the score to 37-29. Junior Amani Abuhatab (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) added to the momentum with a jumper and a layup, increasing Mercy's advantage to 43-31. Sophomore Sophia Hoyt (Middle Village, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) capped off the quarter with a layup at 20 seconds left, securing a 45-33 lead for the Mavericks. The Saints struggled offensively, managing only seven points in the quarter, despite a late layup from Megan Fedor to close the period.
Mercy maintained control in the fourth quarter to secure a 66-50 win over D'Youville. Lesko was instrumental, scoring 10 points in the quarter, including two fast-break free throws at 7:25 to extend the lead to 51-35. Despite the Saints' efforts, led by O'Toole's layup and free throw combination at 1:18, Mercy's steady free throw shooting kept them ahead. Miller's layup with 2:06 remaining further solidified the Mavericks' dominant performance in the final minutes.
Lesko led Mercy with a game-high 29 points, converting 11-of-12 free throws and adding two steals. Abuhatab contributed eight points, recorded five rebounds, and tallied two assists. Hoyt collected seven rebounds and added two steals. Nembach scored eight points and distributed three assists. Miller and Martin added six points apiece.
Vallone Russell led the Saints with 14 points, including three 3-pointers, and contributed four assists. O'Toole added 12 points while securing five defensive rebounds. Neumann recorded 11 points and collected eight rebounds, with seven on the defensive end.
Mercy shot 45.8 percent (22-of-48) from the floor, 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from downtown and 85.0 percent (17-of-20) from the foul line. D'Youville shot 37.5 percent (18-of-48) from the field, 16.7 percent (4-of-24) from beyond the arc and 71.4 percent (10-of-14) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 32-27 edge on the glass.
Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, December 19th when they face Southern New Hampshire at Florida Tech at 1 p.m.
