DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (July 16, 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. 8 – Women's Soccer Qualifies for ECC Championship for 11th Straight Season and Advances to Semifinals
Coming in at No. 8 in our 2024-25 Top-10 Moments is women's soccer who qualified for the ECC Championship for the 11th straight season and advanced to the Semifinals.
Mercy entered the 2024 season picked third in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 9-5-3 in 2023. Senior Skyler Schwenkler was named ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The Mavericks opened their 2024 season on September 6th when they faced 2024 Final Four participant Franklin Pierce at Queens College. Juniors Ancksu Dixon and Anna Deutscher scored goals as the Mavericks opened their season with a 4-2 loss. Mercy ended the weekend with a 2-0 defeat to 2024 NCAA Tournament participant Southern New Hampshire on September 8th. Following the opening weekend, freshman Hailey Metzger was named ECC Rookie of the Week and Deutscher and Dixon were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Head Coach Jack Nicholson and the Mavericks returned to Dobbs Ferry for their home opener on September 11th against Georgian Court. Dixon, Metzger and senior Amiah Washington scored goals and freshman Anneliese Becker made two saves to earn her first collegiate win as Mercy earned a 3-1 win.
Mercy made it two wins in a row on September 14th when they earned a convincing 4-0 win over Felician at home. Dixon recorded a hat-trick and junior Ella Brower had a game-high three assists to go along with the first collegiate goal from sophomore Ella Gallino. Mercy improved to 2-2 on the year and defeated the Golden Falcons for the first time since 2007.
After the pair of wins, Dixon was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week and Brower, Metzger and Becker were tabbed to the Honor Roll. Mercy also entered the United Soccer Coaches East Region Poll at No. 10.
The Mavericks were back in action on September 17th when they earned a 1-1 draw against regionally-ranked Saint Anselm. Metzger scored Mercy's lone goal, off an assist from Dixon, and Becker made a career-high nine saves to preserve the tie.
Mercy opened ECC play on September 21st, hosting D'Youville. Senior Isabella Messina and Dixon both had a goal and an assist as the Mavericks earned a 2-0 win over the Saints. Mercy improved to 3-2-1 overall and 1-0 in ECC play. The Mavericks won their ECC opener for the first time since 2022.
Following the win, Becker was named ECC Rookie of the Week and Messina, Dixon, and Metzger were tabbed to the Honor Roll. Mercy moved up to No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches East Region Poll.
Nicholson and the Mavericks dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision at 2024 NCAA Tournament participant Wilmington on September 24th with Metzger scoring and Messina adding an assist. Mercy resumed play on September 28th when they played at 2024 ECC Champions Molloy. The Mavericks dropped a 2-0 decision to the Lions with Becker making a game-high-tying four saves. Mercy sat at 3-4-1 overall and 1-1 in ECC play.
The Mavericks got back to their winning ways on October 2nd when they earned an impressive 4-0 win over New Haven. Schwenkler scored two goals, freshman Ana Polychroniades scored her first collegiate goal and senior Elizabeth Bowles scored her first goal of the season. Freshman Alyssa Santiago, Washington, Dixon, Deutscher and Brower recorded assists in the win.
Mercy resumed ECC play on October 5th when they earned a 2-1 win over defending ECC Regular Season Champions Roberts Wesleyan. Deutscher and Dixon scored goals and Metzger added her team-high-tying fifth assist of the year in the win. Mercy moved to 5-4-1 overall and 2-1 in ECC play. Following the win, Schwenkler, Dixon, Metzger, and Becker were named to the ECC Honor Roll.
The Mavericks made it three wins in a row on October 8th when they cruised to a 3-0 win over Chestnut Hill. Washington, Schwenkler and Dixon scored goals in the win and Deutscher added two assists. Becker made four saves to post her fourth shutout of the year.
Mercy extended their winning streak to four games on October 12th when they earned a 2-0 win at ECC foe Staten Island. Washington and Dixon scored goals, Deutscher added an assist, and Becker recorded her fifth shutout of the year. The Mavericks moved to 7-4-1 overall and 3-1 in ECC play. After the pair of wins, Schwenkler was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week and Washington and Becker were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
A convincing 4-0 win at Dominican on October 16th extended Mercy's winning streak to five games. Bowles, Messina, Washington, and Dixon all scored goals in the win. Dixon, senior Amber Garcia and Metzger added assists, and Becker netted her sixth shutout. Mercy had their first five-game winning streak since 2022.
Mercy ended the week with a 0-0 draw against 2024 NCAA Tournament team Jefferson on October 19th. Becker made a game-high five saves to post her seventh shutout and Mercy moved to 6-0-2 at Mercy Field. After the week was over, Becker was named ECC Rookie of the Week and Messina and Dixon were tabbed to the Honor Roll.
The Mavericks saw their six-game unbeaten streak come to an end and suffered their first home loss of the season on October 23rd when they dropped a 2-0 decision to ECC foe Queens. Despite the loss, Mercy secured their 11th straight ECC Championship berth.
Mercy dropped their second game in a row when they fell 1-0 at Daemen on October 26th. The Mavericks fell to 8-6-2 overall and 3-3 in ECC play.
Nicholson and the Mavericks ended non-conference play with a 4-0 loss at Southern Connecticut State on October 29th, falling to 8-7-2 on the year.
The Mavericks regrouped and got back in the win column when they earned a 2-0 Senior Day win over St. Thomas Aquinas in their regular season finale on November 2nd. Polychroniades and Gallino scored goals in the win and Washington and Metzger added assists. Becker made five saves to earn her eighth shutout. In a ceremony prior to the game, Mercy honored seniors, Kayla Saavedra, Garcia, Bowles, Washington, Messina, Logan Holley and Schwenkler. Mercy ended the regular season 9-7-2 overall and 4-3 in ECC play, earning the No. 4 seed in the following week's ECC Championship. Gallino and Polychroniades were named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 4th.
Prior to the start of the ECC Championship, eight Mavericks were named to the ECC All-Conference Teams. Dixon and Schwenkler were named First Team All-ECC, Santiago was tabbed Second Team All-ECC and Metzger, Becker, Bowles, Garcia and Deutscher were named Third Team All-ECC.
Mercy hosted No. 5 seed Roberts Wesleyan in the First Round of the ECC Championship on November 7th. Dixon and Washington both had two goals, Dixon added two assists, Metzger had two assists, Polychroniades had an assist, and Becker made a career-high-tying nine saves to earn the win. Dixon recorded her 22nd career assist in the win, setting a school record for career assists. The previous record was 20 set by Trista Seara in 2019. Mercy moved to 10-7-2 on the year and reached double-digit wins in a season for the seventh time in eight seasons.
The Mavericks saw their season come to an end in the Semifinals against eventual ECC Champion No. 1 seed Molloy on November 10th. Washington scored and Becker made seven saves, but it was not enough, as the Lions earned a 2-1 win over the Mavericks to advance to the Final.
At the conclusion of the season, Schwenkler and Dixon were named D2CCA Second Team All-Region, Dixon was named United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region and Schwenkler was tabbed Second Team All-Region. Dixon had a team-high 12 goals and 32 points and was second in assists. She led the ECC in points and tied for the ECC lead in goals. Schwenkler was named All-Region after being named All-Conference all four years. She ended the season with three goals and one assist in 14 games.
The Mavericks also excelled in the classroom with Messina, Schwenkler, Washington, Garcia, Dixon and Brower earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors. The team also posted an impressive 3.61 GPA during the 2024-25 academic year and junior Rita-Marie Masi was named the ECC's National SAAC Representative.
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 – Men's Basketball Records Most Wins Since 2019 and Nearly Qualifies for ECC Championship
No. 10 – Field Hockey Gets Off to Best Start in Program History and Nearly Qualifies for NE10 Championship
