DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Mar. 1, 2025) – Despite a career-high 17 draw controls from senior Lindsey Shimborske (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale), a team-high 11 saves from junior Olivia LaMonica (Oak Ridge, N.J./Jefferson Township) and a team-high three goals from sophomore Riley Wallace (Islip, N.Y./Islip) and freshmen Kayden Meyer (Mastic, N.Y./William Floyd) and Marena Morales (Tolland, Conn./Tolland), the Mercy University women's lacrosse team dropped a hard-fought 13-12 decision to No. 6 Adelphi University on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (2-1) suffer their first loss of the season and fall to 0-6 all-time against the defending National Runner-Up Panthers (2-2). The one-goal loss is the smallest margin of defeat to Adelphi in the six all-time meetings. The previous closest margin was four in 2023.
Mercy was led by Shimborske who had a career-high and game-high 17 draw controls with two ground balls and one caused turnover. The senior recorded her 300th career draw control and now has 306 for her career. She becomes the second Maverick in program history to record 300 career draw controls. LaMonica made a career-high 11 saves to take the loss. Wallace had three goals and Meyer and Morales each had a career-high three goals. Freshman Ashlinn Kelly (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) had two goals and an assist and senior Leah Hansen (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields) also scored.
Adelphi was led by Rita Sefransky who had a game-high five points on four goals and an assist. Madison Marchetta made a game-high 12 saves to earn the win.
The Panthers scored the game's first three goals to take a 3-0 lead with 8:58 left in the first quarter. Back-to-back goals from Wallace and Meyer made it 3-2 with 7:31 remaining in the quarter. An Amanda Lee goal at the 5:06 mark made it 4-2 before Meyer scored her second goal of the day with 3:57 on the clock to make it 4-3 after the first quarter.
A Morales free position goal to open the second quarter made it 4-4. Adelphi struck for three consecutive goals to take a 7-4 lead with 8:59 remaining in the half. The Mavericks continued to battle and tallied four goals in a row to take their first lead of the game, 8-7, at the 4:56 mark. Wallace, Hansen, Meyer and Morales scored the goals to give Mercy the lead. A Payson Hedges goal to close the half made it 8-8 at halftime.
Morales scored again at the 12:46 mark of the third quarter to give Mercy a 9-8 lead. A Sefransky goal tied the game at 9-9 with 10:45 left in the quarter before goals from Wallace and Kelly gave the Mavericks a game-high two-goal lead, 11-9, with 5:45 remaining in the quarter. The Panthers ended the quarter with three straight goals to take a 12-11 lead after three quarters.
The score remained 12-11 until the 3:34 mark when Ashley Kolomechuk scored to give Adelphi a 13-11 advantage. A Kelly woman-up goal at the 2:33 mark got the Mavericks to within one, 13-12. However, Mercy was unable to find the equalizer and Adelphi earned the 13-12 win.
Mercy held a 30-27 edge in shots and a 23-6 edge in draw controls. Adelphi held a 13-6 edge in ground balls.
Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, March 5th when they host Assumption at 2 p.m.
