DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (July 11, 2025) – For the 10th year, Mercy University Athletics will recap the year by counting down the Top-10 most memorable moments of the 2024-25 season, with all 10 sports represented.
Mercy University Athletics will release a Top-10 moment, as chosen by the athletics staff, with a recap every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next three weeks culminating with the top moment from the 2024-25 athletic year being unveiled on Friday, August 1st.
No. 10 – Field Hockey Gets Off to Best Start in Program History and Nearly Qualifies for NE10 Championship
Coming in at No. 10 in our 2024-25 Top-10 Moments is field hockey who got off to their best start in program history in 2024 and nearly qualified for the NE10 Championship.
The Mavericks entered the 2024 season picked a program-best ninth in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 8-10 in 2023, qualifying for the NE10 Championship for the first time in program history. Mercy matched a school record with eight overall wins and seven NE10 wins.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks began their 2024 season on September 6th against Roberts Wesleyan. The game remained scoreless until junior Samantha Trickel scored the game-winning goal in the 55th minute, off an assist from freshman Madison Brefka, to give Mercy the 1-0 win in their season opener. Junior Rebecca McClure made five saves to earn the shutout win. The Mavericks won their season opener for the first time since 2022.
Mercy resumed action on September 11th where they suffered their first loss of the season to nationally-ranked Bloomsburg. Senior Alexandra Giordano and freshman Kaylise McClure combined for seven saves.
The Mavericks got back into the win column on September 14th when they earned a 4-1 win over D'Youville. Freshman Charlotte Sabert and sophomore Madison Preston both scored their first collegiate goals and senior Rachel Palladino and graduate student Kasey Volz also scored. McClure made seven saves in goal to earn the win. Mercy moved to 2-1 for the first time since 2022.
The next day, Mercy opened NE10 play against Saint Michael's in Dobbs Ferry. Graduate student Kelly Rosenfeld scored a game-high two goals and Trickel and Preston also scored to give the Mavericks a 4-2 win over the Purple Knights. Mercy won their NE10 opener for the second straight year and improved to 3-1 for the first time since 2022. Following the pair of wins, McClure was named NE10 Goalie of the Week for the first time.
Spinazzola and the Mavericks moved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in NE10 play following a 2-1 win at Molloy on September 18th. Trickel and Sabert scored goals to lead Mercy to the win. The Mavericks sat at 2-0 in NE10 play for the second straight year.
Mercy made it four wins in a row on September 25th when they earned a 2-0 win over Molloy in Dobbs Ferry. Palladino and Preston both had a goal and an assist as Mercy moved to 5-1 on the year. The 5-1 start was the best start to a season in program history and the Mavericks had beaten Molloy for the 10th straight time.
The Mavericks were back in action on September 28th playing at No. 6 Assumption. McClure made a game-high 15 saves and Palladino scored as Mercy held their own before falling 2-1 to the Greyhounds. The one-goal margin of victory for Assumption over the Mavericks was the smallest in nine all-time meetings. McClure was tabbed NE10 Goalie of the Week for the second time after her strong performance in goal.
Despite a career-high two goals from Sabert, the Mavericks dropped their next contest to Adelphi on October 1st, falling to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in NE10 play. McClure and Giordano combined for 18 saves on October 5th as Mercy fell to nationally-ranked Southern New Hampshire.
Mercy hosted Pace on October 9th and dropped a hard-fought 1-0 decision, despite seven saves from McClure and a defensive save from freshman Eunice Santiago. The Mavericks sat at 5-5 overall and 2-4 in NE10 play, entering their matchup with Bentley on October 12th. Mercy battled once again, but came up short, dropping a narrow 1-0 decision to the Falcons. The one-goal loss was the smallest margin of defeat in six all-time meetings against Bentley.
The Mavericks hosted New Haven on October 15th and dropped another heartbreaking one-goal game, 4-3, in overtime to the Chargers. Sabert, Preston and Rosenfeld scored goals as Mercy fell to 5-7 overall and 2-6 in NE10 play.
Mercy got back into the win column on October 19th when they earned a 2-0 Senior Day win over American International. In a ceremony prior to the game, Volz, Jessica Evans, Palladino and Rosenfeld were recognized for their contributions to the program. Volz and Evans scored goals and Giordano made 11 saves to earn the shutout win as Mercy snapped a six-game losing streak and moved to 6-7 overall and 3-6 in NE10 play. After the Senior Day win, Giordano was named NE10 Goalie of the Week.
Spinazzola and the Mavericks dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision to St. Thomas Aquinas on October 23rd. Freshman Jaime Stella scored her first career goal and Giordano made a game-high five saves. Mercy ended the week playing at Franklin Pierce on October 26th. Trickel and Palladino both scored, but the Mavericks dropped a 3-2 decision to the Ravens.
Giordano made a career-high 20 saves and Evans scored on October 29th as Mercy fell 4-1 to nationally-ranked Saint Anselm. Mercy ended their season on November 1st with a 4-3 loss at Southern Connecticut State. Brefka, Evans and Volz scored goals and junior Reagan Lane as the Mavericks ended their season 6-11 overall and 3-10 in NE10 play, dropping seven of those games by one goal. Mercy fell just one win shy of qualifying for the NE10 Championship.
Following the season, McClure and Preston were named to the NE10 Academic All-Conference Team and 12 Mavericks were named to the NFHCA Division II National Academic Squad. Rebecca McClure, Preston and Kaylise McClure were named NFHCA Scholars of Distinction and the team earned the NFHCA National Academic Team Award for having the third highest GPA in Division II with a 3.69 team GPA during the fall 2024 semester.
Rebecca McClure and Preston were also named to the College Sports Communicators At-Large Academic All-District Team and all 19 student-athletes from the team were named to the NE10 Spring Academic Honor Roll. Rosenfeld and Volz also took home the NE10 Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence.
Schedule for the Top-10 Moments of the 2024-25 Season
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next four weeks, the Mercy University Athletic Department will release the Top-10 moments one at a time beginning with the No. 10 moment on Friday, July 11th. The No. 1 moment will be unveiled on Friday, August 1st.
No. 1 – August 1st
No. 2 – July 30th
No. 3 – July 28th
No. 4 – July 25th
No. 5 – July 23rd
No. 6 – July 21st
No. 7 – July 18th
No. 8 - July 16th
No. 9 – July 14th
No. 10 – July 11th
