DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 14, 2025) – The No. 5/11 Mercy University men's lacrosse team opens its 2025 season on Saturday, February 15th hosting Franklin Pierce University at 10 a.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, February 15th 10 a.m.
Records (2024): Mercy (14-2), Franklin Pierce (3-10)
Location: Mercy Field
Last Meeting vs. Franklin Pierce
Mercy earned a 22-4 win over Franklin Pierce on March 16, 2011.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy enters the 2025 season ranked No. 5 nationally in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Poll and No. 11 nationally in the USILA Poll. The Mavericks were picked first in the ECC Preseason after going 14-2 last season, winning their fifth straight ECC Championship and qualifying for their fifth straight NCAA Tournament. Mercy looks to make the ECC Tournament for the 10th straight season. Third-year Head Coach Ryan MacSpadyen and the Mavericks return three All-ECC performers from last year's team.
Leading the returners is junior Devon Duchnowski who has been named Preseason Second Team All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine and Inside Lacrosse. Duchnowski was named First Team All-ECC and USILA All-Region Honorable Mention last season after finishing with 23 goals, eight assists and 31 points. Also returning is sophomore Cameron Dorfman who was named ECC Goalkeeper and Rookie of the Year and First Team All-ECC after going 10-2 in goal with 132 saves, a .569 save percentage and 8.86 goals-against average. Dorfman was named Preseason All-American Honorable Mention by USA Lacrosse Magazine. Senior Owen Stephenson also returns after being named Second Team All-ECC in 2024. Stephenson had 16 caused turnovers and 41 ground balls.
Sophomore Christopher Bergersen returns after a strong freshman campaign in which he had 22 goals and 32 points. Senior Ryan Smith is back after recording 16 goals and 15 assists and junior AJ Barone is back after recording six goals and five assists. Also returning are seniors Ian Votta and Shane Roche, juniors Ryken Kutner, Connor Abrahall and Jack Agres and sophomores Colin Orsino, Dillon Osorio and Justin Ortiz.
Returning on defense is junior Danny Fitzgerald who had nine caused turnovers and 17 ground balls last season. Junior Michael Corbo returns after starting all 16 games last season with 27 ground balls and four caused turnovers and sophomore Jake Norton is back after posting 17 ground balls and four caused turnovers. Also returning are juniors Sean Higgins and Joe Sorok and sophomore Jason Kassis. Also, returning in goal is junior Peter Murphy who went 4-0 in goal last season with 41 saves in four starts.
Leading the returners in the faceoff x is junior Kenneth Summit who went 25-of-39 on faceoffs last year with seven ground balls. Senior Ryan Resnick also returns after going 15-of-26 on faceoffs with 16 ground balls.
MacSpadyen will also look to a strong freshman and transfer class to help lead the Mavericks back to the NCAA Tournament. Mercy will look to freshmen Charles Sorbello, Gavin Lamere, Jackson Redmond, Christopher De Giorgio, Kyle Freyer, Michael Mitrano, Benjamin Salamone, Carter Heuer, Ryan Strzalkowski, Nicholas Filocamo, Cole Hunsberger and Tomas Carr to make immediate contributions. Sorbello was a team captain and two-time Section Champion at West Genesee High School, Lamere was named All-County twice at Herricks High School, Freyer was tabbed Honorable Mention once at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Mitrano was a three-time All-County honoree at Hilton High School, Strzalkowski was a four-year varsity player at Archbishop Stepinac, and Filocamo was named All-County three times at Island Trees High School.
Leading the transfers for the Mavericks is graduate student Jimmy Osorio who joins Mercy from Newberry College. Osorio was named Third Team All-SAC at Newberry and had 110 points. Aidan Babnik joins the Mavericks from Division I Long Island University.
Mercy is looking to win their seventh straight season opener and their 13th straight home opener. The Mavericks are 1-1 all-time against Franklin Pierce with the only meetings coming in 2010 and 2011.
Scouting the Ravens
Franklin Pierce went 3-10 last season, starting the season 3-0 before losing their last 10 games. The Ravens were picked tied for last in the NE10 Preseason Poll. Leading the returners for Franklin Pierce is Ethan Cote who had a team-high 22 goals last season and was second with 22 points. Jackson Hale returns after netting 11 goals and six assists in 2024 and Alex Costa is back after producing seven goals and six assists. Lance Starr returns after recording a team-high 41 ground balls last season with 14 caused turnovers. Nick Sawyer is back after having a team-high 18 caused turnovers last season and Nick Cattabriga is back after going 71-of-184 on faceoffs. Returning in goal is Mike Masterpolo who went 3-9 in goal last season with 164 saves, a .512 save percentage and 12.80 goals-against average.
Next Game
Mercy resumes action on Tuesday, February 18th when they play at Georgian Court at 3 p.m.
