DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 22, 2025) – Powered by double-doubles from sophomores Grace Lesko (Northampton, Pa./Northampton Area) and Amani Abuhatab (West Haven, Conn./West Haven), the Mercy University women's basketball team earned a 65-58 Senior Day win over ECC foe Molloy University on Saturday afternoon at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.

In a ceremony prior to the game, Mercy honored seniors Jaclyn Stanavich (Amsterdam, N.Y./Amsterdam) and Kayla Halvorsen (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Dobbs Ferry) for their contributions to the program.

The Mavericks (16-9, 10-5 ECC) have won three games in a row and earn a season series split with the Lions (13-14, 6-8 ECC). Mercy now has recorded double-digit ECC wins in three straight seasons for the first time in program history.

Mercy was led by Lesko who had a game-high 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the floor with a game-high 12 rebounds. Lesko also added three blocks, five steals and three assists. Abuhatab added her first career double-double by way of 22 points and 11 rebounds and junior Angelina Barrera (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) recorded five points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Halvorsen contributed five points and freshman Caitlin Leary (Carle Place, N.Y./Carle Place) scored four points.

Molloy was led by Rosa Rizzitelli who had a team-high 11 points.

Mercy scored the game's first seven points to take a 7-0 lead after a Lesko layup with 7:48 left in the opening quarter. A Lesko layup at the 6:45 mark gave the Mavericks an 11-2 lead before Molloy made it 13-6 after a Janel Moore layup. An Abuhatab three gave Mercy a 16-6 lead before the Lions scored seven straight points to cut the Mavericks' lead to three, 16-13, with 54 seconds on the clock. An Abuhatab three gave Mercy a 19-13 lead after the first quarter.

A Lesko jumper to open the second quarter gave Mercy a 21-13 lead before the visitors scored the next four points to make it 21-17 with 8:35 left in the half. Mercy rallied with an 8-2 run to increase the lead back to 10, 29-19, after a Lesko three with 3:58 on the clock. The Mavericks headed into halftime with a 33-23 lead following a Leary jumper.

Two Casey Campo free throws cut Mercy's lead to eight, 35-27, with 6:49 remaining in the third quarter. The Mavericks went on a 10-2 run to increase their lead to 16, 45-29, after an Abuhatab jumper at the 3:01 mark. A late Danielle Hippner jumper cut the Mavericks' lead to 14, 50-36, after three quarters.

Two Lesko free throws with 8:55 left gave Mercy a game-high 17-point lead, 55-38. The Lions stormed back on a 12-2 run to get within seven, 57-50, with 2:31 left. Barrera went 1-of-2 from the line and Abuhatab went 2-of-2 from the line to give the Mavericks a 60-50 lead with 59 seconds left. Two Abuhatab free throws with 24 seconds remaining gave Mercy a 65-54 lead. The Lions scored the final four points of the game to make it 65-58, but the Mavericks held on for the Senior Day win.

Mercy shot 42.9 percent (21-of-49) from the floor, 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from downtown and 72.7 percent (16-of-22) from the foul line. Molloy shot 34.3 percent (24-of-70) from the field, 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from beyond the arc and 70.0 percent (7-of-10) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 39-37 edge on the glass.

Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, March 1st when they play at St. Thomas Aquinas at 2 p.m.